Company
by CuteCButtons
Summary: An exploration of Shino, his relationship with Hinata, and the Aburame Clan. Contains romantic comedy, drama, and general ninja action in the form of intrigue and battles. ShinoHinata.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own _Naruto_. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing.

Takes place sometime before Shippuuden

Chapter 1

"Shibiki," Shibi said firmly to his eldest son who was about to leave for a short mission.

The young man's entire body tensed, but he nodded without turning back. "I will not forget."

OOOOO

Shino returned home from training and let himself in through the back door. His mother was making some sort of stew. He knew because he'd caught the scent from several blocks away.

There she was, standing in front of the stove with an enormous ladle in one hand as she stirred and stirred. Her soft brown hair was pulled up in a loose ponytail. A single spiraling strand had escaped on the left side. She was a beautiful and kind woman. Her pink apron cascaded over her full, round belly. Shino walked up to her, pulled down the edge of his collar with one finger, and gave her an affectionate peck on the cheek.

"Hello, Shino sweetie," she smiled back at him.

"Hello, mother."

"Please set the table. It's just the three of us today because Shibiki has a mission."

Shino nodded and gathered the bowls and silverware. He finished laying out the flatware for the bread when he heard a quiet sigh from the kitchen.

"Mother?" he asked, quickly going to see what was the matter.

Kinako Aburame stood massaging her brow with one hand.

"Mother?" Shino asked quietly. "Is something bothering you?"

"Oh! Oh, no. It's nothing. Well, nothing that serious." She gripped the handles of the pot tightly.

Her son's hands came down gently but firmly. "Mother, you shouldn't be lifting heavy things at this stage in your pregnancy," he reprimanded gently, though he softened his words with a kiss on the crown of her head. "Let me get it."

"Hm, hm," she chuckled. "Alright. You're such a good boy, Shino."

"That's because I have a very good mother," he reminded her with a smile. Even if it was a bit hidden by the collar, his mother still knew it was there.

He and his mother sat and waited patiently for his father to arrive, which he did not much later. The Aburame's were very punctual people.

"Itadakimasu."

Short of vegetable salad, vegetable stew was Shino's favorite. Shino was halfway through his second bowl before he realized that his father looked as troubled as his mother had earlier. He watched them patiently from behind his sunglasses. They seemed to be avoiding some subject, perhaps because he was in the room, which further piqued his curiosity.

He looked at each of his parents in turn. _Which is more likely to say something first? Probably mother. _Shino returned his full gaze to her.

"Shibi…"

"Yes, Kinako?"

"Did you…talk to Shibiki?"

"Ah."

"Oh."

A long moment of silence passed.

"Did he…say anything important?"

"He will be back from his mission on time."

"I see." His mother poked her spoon into her bowl and shuffled a few carrots around.

"Mother, you need to eat something," Shino prompted gently, "especially since you are eating for two."

His mother wrinkled her nose at him in a playful way. "Yes, mother."

"That's my line," Shino smirked, but he was glad to see she was managing a few bites. _Usually she inhales her food, so something must really be bothering her._

OOOOO

Shibiki and Shino Aburame were very different. Whereas Shino was reserved in general, Shibiki expressed his emotions more openly. But Shibiki was also prone to slight bouts of depression, while Shino actually had a playful side that not many people knew about.

The brothers were alike in many ways as well. Both Shino and Shibiki looked just like their father, though Shino had his mother's eyes—even if no one ever saw them. Both were skilled and valued members of the Aburame clan that took their shinobi responsibilities seriously.

Honestly, five years ago, if someone had asked Kinako Aburame which of her sons would have the easier time finding a wife, she would have picked Shibiki. He was handsome and outgoing, smart and generous. But now he was twenty seven and without any marriage—or even dating prospects—in sight. The village girls seemed to have a problem with the idea of bugs crawling throughout their prospective husband's body. That was the reason Shibi had been arranging omiais (marriage meetings) left and right, even though Shibiki hated them.

"Anata," she whispered softly as she and her husband sat in the family room. She absentmindedly ran her fingers over her knitting while he looked through omiai information cards.

"Hmm?"

"Maybe…maybe we should just give Shibiki more time. I don't want him to feel like we're forcing this on him…"

"We're not forcing him to get married," Shibi insisted. "We're just making sure he gets the chance to meet some girls. It's…more challenging for an Aburame to find his perfect woman. If he doesn't meet any girls from outside of the village, he may never find a chance to meet 'the one.'"

"He just seems so unhappy about it all…"

"If Shibiki finds a girl he wants, then I won't force him to go through any more omiais, but until then it's a father's responsibility to look out for the well-being of his son."

"I know. And I know you love him very much…"

"But?" Shibi prompted patiently.

Kinako smiled. "I just wish it wasn't so hard for him."

Shibi nodded and sighed. Then he looked up with a smile—though, again, it was difficult to see. "Have I thanked you today yet for marrying me?"

Kinako laughed. "At least twice since breakfast."

Shibi went back to his cards. After a few moments he huffed and slumped back into his armchair. "Shoromaru really had it easy. Three boys. Three sisters. Three babies born within months of each other."

Shoromaru was Shibi's older cousin. His three sons had recently married three sisters they met while on a mission together. And now he had three grandbabies. It really wasn't fair.

"Do you think the Kari, Kari, Kari girls have a cousin or something?"

"Honey, you really have to memorize their names sometime."

"Ah, ah." Shibi waved his hand dismissively. Then he moved over to sit next to his wife. He cradled his arms protectively around her stomach and back and nuzzled her cheek. Gently, he rubbed his hand over her belly. "At least we've got some time before the next one has to get married."

"Next one?" Kinako blinked. "What about Shino?"

"Shino's not the omiai type. He isn't one to open up to strangers. And besides, if I can't even find a wife for Shibiki, who managed to ask out every one of the girls in his Genin year, _and_ the three above and below, then I'm definitely going to have a tough time with Shino. I've decided not to worry about it until the time comes."

"Now, now," Kinako scolded. "Shino is a very warm-hearted boy."

"I know. I know. I love him for all that he is. But he's not like Shibiki. Shibiki has the girls lining up. At least until they find out about the bugs." Again Shibi sighed. "Why did you marry me, again?"

"Because I fell in love with you."

"But how did you first react when you found out about the bugs?"

Kinako was silent for some time. When she finally answered, it was with careful reservation. "I…I was a little scared of them. But I loved you, so I was willing to…be patient. And then I got used to them," she shrugged.

"I have a good feeling about this next omiai. I think we'll find the one for Shibiki."

Kinako sighed, but she decided not to worry anymore and let herself melt into her husband's arms.

OOOOO

None of the women of the Aburame clan were ninjas. This was for many reasons. The first and foremost reason was that there weren't many female ninjas to begin with. Konoha's previous Genin cohort, the Konoha 11/12, was an exceptional year with a 1 to 2 ratio of girls to boys. (A/N: As I recall, there were only about two or three non-Konoha kunoichi at the Chunin exams. And Shikamaru had to fight both of them. Hee, hee!) There were many more girls attending the Ninja Academy these days, but in the past only the famous clans had sent their girls.

So there usually weren't many kunoichi to begin with. Also, because of the unique—

and sometimes ostracizing—nature of the Aburame's ninja specialty, the kunoichi that there were often found romantic interests in the other available young shinobi. But the Aburame men, once married, always made their wives happy. They were loving and family-oriented, if not usually expressive.

The Aburame's also tended to have boys. It was an odd quirk, but that's the way it was. Shino was reminded of insect hives where there were many males, but only a few precious females.

The Aburame women, at least the ones that lived in the Aburame clan's compound, were very close. That closeness had only been magnified by the addition of three inseparable sisters. Of course, things were a bit hectic with all of the new babies around.

Shino pondered all of these things as he walked through the pathways of the courtyard, making his way to the area that the women had unofficially claimed as their own. Often they chatted and sewed, or did other small domestic tasks to keep their hands busy as they spent time together. It was a large, comfortable room furnished with overstuffed cushions and sitting chairs.

Shino gave a gentle knock on the screen door.

"Come in, Shino," his mother called.

"How did you know it was me?" he wondered as he stepped in.

"Motherly intuition," she answered saucily. Actually, it was because he was the only one who ever knocked.

"Oh good, I have to go to the toilet and hang up a load of laundry," said his Aunt Karika. "Shino, hold Kariko for me."

A baby was thrust into his hands. Shino and his cousin looked at each other curiously. At first he held her at arm's length in front of him, but a quick glance at his other aunts told him he wasn't quite doing it right. Shino adjusted his hold on the child so that he was cradling her the same way his Aunt Karimi and Aunt Karime were holding their sons, Soramaru and Sorumaru.

Kinako patted a cushion next to her and Shino moved to sit beside her.

"What's on your mind, Shino?"

"Father and I have a mission."

"Oh, I see."

"We can refuse it if necessary," he explained.

"Why would you do that?"

Shino looked meaningfully at her full stomach.

"Oh, Shino, I'll be fine." She brushed aside his concern with a wave of her hand.

Kariko, the youngest of the Kari, Kari, Kari babies, was the first girl born into the Aburame family in a long time. Her tiny fist reached up toward Shino's face.

Shino looked down at her, wondering if this was a sign that something needed to be done.

Kariko burbled at him.

"Does she require something?" Shino inquired.

His mother chuckled at him. "Nothing in particular. Just attention will do."

Shino looked at the child deliberately.

The small hand still reached for his cheek. The tiny fingers brushed against his face.

"Let her hold onto your finger. Babies like that," his mother advised.

Shino held up one finger in front of Kariko's nose. She stared slightly cross-eyed at the digit before trying to put it in her mouth. Eventually the two figured things out.

When Karika got back from her chores, Kariko was fast asleep in Shino's arms, her tiny fist still gripping his finger tightly.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to everyone who gave me a review! Warning: This chapter contains high concentrations of cuteness. You'll know when you see him.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Naruto_. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing.

Takes place sometime before Shippuuden

OOOOO

Chapter 2

"Hi, Hinata!" shouted Konoha's Number One Unpredictable Ninja.

"Naruto-kun," Hinata smiled shyly. "How are you doing today?"

"I'm doing great! I took your advice about asking Sakura out and it worked great. She said yes!"

"That's wonderful, Naruto-kun. I'm really happy for the both of you."

"Do you think I should get her a present or something?"

"Hmm…maybe you could get her a flower, but nothing too fancy. Ino could probably help you pick a good one."

"Mm, Mm," he nodded, committing this vital information to memory. "Hey, where are you going?"

"I was heading to the market."

"I've got to do that sometime. I'm all out of food," Naruto grinned sheepishly. "But I've got a mission, so I'd better be going."

"Bye, Naruto-kun." Hinata gave a little wave.

"Bye, Hinata! Thanks again for the advice!"

Hinata clutched the handle of her basket and swung it back and forth thoughtfully as she watched Naruto leap between the buildings of Konoha. Then she looked a little higher. It was really a beautiful day, if a little chilly. The sky was a brilliant, crisp blue. _It actually looks as blue as Naruto-kun's eyes_, Hinata thought to herself. _I hope their date goes well. I hope Sakura-san isn't trying to make Sasuke-kun jealous again. It didn't work very well with Kiba-kun… _

"Hinata."

Hinata turned abruptly to find her teammate standing rather uncertainly behind her. Shino was never uncertain.

"Shino-kun? Is something the matter?" she asked quickly.

"I…have a favor to ask of you," the reserved shinobi admitted.

"Of course! Anything," Hinata reassured him.

"Will you walk with me?" Shino requested.

Hinata nodded and the two continued down the street together.

OOOOO

Kinako and Kaoru, the wife of Shibi's brother, stood chopping vegetables for lunch that day. Kaoru's son had recently received his kikaichuu, and she was having trouble adjusting to the changes in her son.

"Ne, Kinako? How did you deal with it?"

Kinako shrugged. "I knew from the beginning that it would happen, so it wasn't really a surprise. Are there any particular problems that you are having?"

Kaoru sighed, "It's nothing in particular. He just seems so much more closed off than before. On my husband the sunglasses seem perfectly normal, but…"

"So is it mostly just the Aburame outfit?" Kinako grinned. "It takes awhile to get used to the sunglasses, but it's nothing to worry about."

Kaoru shook her head. "It's other things as well. He doesn't play anymore like he used to. He doesn't even like going to the playground, though he used to love it there."

"It just takes time, but everything will turn out fine," Kinako assured her.

After lunch, the men washed their dishes and the women began cleaning the kitchen.

Kaoru's son, Shinomaru, stood around uncertainly. He wasn't big enough to have important missions to do and it wasn't his time to train with his father.

"Shinomaru, why don't you go outside and play?" his mother suggested.

He didn't really have friends to play with. Shinomaru was normally shy around strangers. And ever since he'd received his kikaichuu hive, it seemed the neighborhood children didn't like him. They would look away when he came close, and he could hear them whispering about the "icky bugs" when they thought he was out of earshot. Cousin Shino, who was already 16 years old, was the youngest Aburame besides him. He was a good cousin, often taking him to look at interesting bugs and teaching him about things. But he was often busy with his missions. The rest of the Aburame children were small babies. He thought about his mother's suggestion for several more moments. The rest of the women watched him curiously. Finally, he shrugged.

"Is there anything you would like to do, Shinomaru?"

"I suppose I will train."

"Shinomaru, you're still a little boy. You don't need to worry about training yet," his mother sighed.

Shinomaru was already walking out the door.

"See, Kinako? I just don't know what to do."

"There's no use fretting," Kinako reminded her. "Just be patient."

OOOOO

Kinako hefted her shopping basket against her hip. There was so much to be done before the omiai. Why did Shibi have to go and receive a mission now? Especially with such a strange omiai coming up. The girl and her guardian would actually be spending the night. Though Shibi and Shino could conceivably arrive before the visitors left, there was no way they'd be back before the family arrived this evening. There was also the family reunion coming up at the end of the week. Kinako sighed and placed several more items in the basket.

"Aburame-san, it's not good for the baby if you carry too much!" exclaimed a gentle-sounding voice.

Kinako turned around to see a familiar-looking girl approaching her quickly. She had those unusual eyes, pale lavender without any visible pupil. Long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders. Kinako had seen her around the village quite often. Oh yes, she was one of the Hyuuga girls, of course. Usually the girl gave her a shy smile in passing. What was her name again? Hanabi? Hanata? Hinata.

"Please allow me to help you." Hinata gave a little bow.

"Oh, I don't want to cause you any trouble. It's really not very-"

Hinata had already gently removed the basket from her and stood waiting with a patient smile.

"Thank you."

"It's no problem at all."

Hinata and Kinako finished the grocery shopping for the upcoming dinner. Then Hinata cheerfully carried the groceries for her and even came inside to help put them away.

The Aburame compound was large and beautiful. There were enormous gardens and little streams in the courtyard, presumably to provide a habitat for bugs. Hinata had never been inside of Shino's home before, so she couldn't help sneaking an occasional glance out the windows.

"Kinako, you have a cute helper," Kaoru smiled as she walked into the kitchen. She was rolling up her sleeves in preparation for the work that needed to be done before dinnertime.

"Hinata, this is Kaoru, my sister-in-law."

"Pleased to meet you," Hinata bowed.

"And so what brings you here today?" Kaoru inquired.

"Shino-kun asked me to help out this week because Aburame-san has so much to do."

Kinako blinked. "Shino asked you to help me?"

"Mm-hm," Hinata nodded. "He never asks for anything, so I know this is especially important to him.

"How do you know Shino?" Kaoru asked. She was surprised that Shino knew any girls. He seemed like such a self-contained boy.

"I'm one of his teammates," Hinata explained.

Kinako wanted to hit herself in the forehead. Shino spoke of his teammates often, but for some reason he always referred to them as "my teammates" or "my teammate." She must have learned their names at some point. Yes, she knew there were a Hyuuga and an Inuzuka. Over the years she had come to imagine his "teammates" as two boys.

Hinata was slicing ingredients to make dumplings. Kinako studied her again in this new light. So this was one of the infamous "teammates." Shino had even pointed her out once. She must have confused her with the long-haired boy standing next to her.

"Mother, I have done the tasks you asked of me," informed a polite little voice.

Hinata looked up from where she was folding napkins. Then she gasped and both hands flew to cover her mouth.

There, right next to Kaoru-san, stood a small perfect copy of Shino. The boy was no older than three, perhaps even as young as two. He wore small brown pants and a smaller version of the oversized, high-collared coat that Shino always wore. A mop of unruly black hair and a pair of tiny sunglasses perched on a small, straight nose completed the picture.

The boy's small hands slipped casually into his pockets, and Hinata struggled with the urge to pick him up and squeeze him.

"Do you have any other tasks for me, Mother?"

"No, that's alright."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, thank you, Shinomaru," Kaoru-san huffed as she struggled with the roast and managed to get it on the serving platter.

Shinomaru looked around curiously at the women doing their tasks. His aunts were all busy with one thing or another. There was one girl, a stranger, who was staring at him with pale, wide eyes. She was covering her mouth. Sometimes girls on the playground would cover their faces if he was too close to them. It was because that boy had told them the "weird Aburame kid" would send bugs into their eyes and mouths if they didn't cover them. Of course, this was foolish. Why would Shinomaru want to put his bugs in someone else's mouth? What if they accidentally ate them?

Hinata and Shinomaru stared at each other for a while. He cocked his head to the side. Finally, Shinomaru asked, "Did you want to say something to me?"

A tiny squeak escaped her lips. It was exactly the way Shino would have said it.

"Why are you covering your mouth?" he asked.

Hinata realized that she might seem a bit rude, so she lowered her hands.

Shinomaru was surprised when the girl's hands revealed a big, beautiful smile. She crouched in front of him. The corners of her eyes were crinkled with amusement.

"You look very happy," he commented. "Is there a special reason?"

"It's because you are so very, very cute," she answered, unable to keep from leaning forward and placing a gentle kiss on his smooth little forehead.

The small, precise eyebrows arched in surprise. Then his shoulders hunched a little and the corners of his mouth rose upward to form a shy, little smile.

Suddenly, he looked livelier. "Do you want to see my bugs?" he asked eagerly.

"Shinomaru," his mother said as she sweatdropped.

Hinata didn't miss a beat. "I would love to see your bugs."

Shinomaru puffed out his chest proudly. Then he deflated a bit. "I cannot show them to you here."

"Why not?" Hinata wondered.

"I am not supposed to. No bugs in the kitchen. That is one of the rules," he informed her seriously.

If possible, Hinata's grin widened even more. She reached out a hand and suggested, "Let's go outside and you can show them to me there, ne?"

Shinomaru nodded his approval of the plan and slipped his little hand into hers. He took her to a little bench in the courtyard and called one of his bugs onto his finger.

"See, see! This is one of _mine_."

"It's beautiful," Hinata agreed.

"It's a kikaichuu, just like the bugs my father has, but mine are very different."

Hinata studied the bug closely. "I can see that. There is a tiny white spot on the back, and the coat is different. It has a sheen that makes it almost look dark blue."

Shinomaru looked absolutely delighted. "You can tell! My mother can't even tell the difference. Want to see me do a trick? Cousin Shino taught it to me."

"Yes, please," Hinata giggled. The idea of Shino teaching chibi-Shino bug tricks was just too cute for words.

Shinomaru sent a small line of bugs into the air and lined them up to form a ring.

"Wow! That must have taken you a long time to learn. Weeks and weeks, I'll bet."

"I learned it in half an hour!" Shinomaru beamed proudly.

"That's amazing! You're going to be a great bug-using shinobi very soon."

Several anonymous Aburame (men with high-collared coats and sunglasses) studied Hinata and Shinomaru curiously as they passed the duo in the courtyard.

"I'm going to be a great shinobi just like my father," Shinomaru nodded solemnly.

Hinata grinned at him and affectionately ruffled his hair, a quirk she'd picked up from Kiba, though it didn't come out often. But Shinomaru was just so _cute_.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own _Naruto_. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing.

Takes place sometime before Shippuuden

Chapter 3

OOOOO

"Shibiki isn't home yet?" Kinako fretted as she wrung her hands and glanced out the window one more time.

"Perhaps he was delayed because of his mission?" Hinata suggested.

Kinako sighed and sunk back down into a kitchen chair. "I can't believe this. The guests are going to be here any minute!"

There was the sound of footsteps in the hallway.

"Shibiki?" Kinako called eagerly.

"Yes, mother?"

"Oh good! I was so worried you wouldn't make it in time. Why don't you…_What happened?!_"

A taller and older version of Shino walked into the room. His Aburame jacket was brown, not because of a desire to be an individual, but because it was entirely caked with mud.

"It's a long story."

"Go and get cleaned up!" his mother shrieked.

Shibiki sighed morosely and trudged back to his room.

OOOOO

Hinata arranged the tea cakes on the tray. The girl was very pretty, though she seemed very uncomfortable and nervous. Her aunt also seemed skittish and kept glancing at the tabletop and the floor. Hinata didn't have a very good feeling about this omiai, so the least she could do was make sure the tea tray was perfect.

As Hinata neared the formal room, a high piercing shriek rang down the halls.

"Get it off! Get it off! GET IT OFF!"

Two hysterical figures rushed at Hinata through the halls. The kunoichi barely had enough time to dodge without spilling the entire contents of the tea tray on herself.

_That was the omiai guest and her guardian!_ Hinata set the tray down and ran after them.

OOOOO

"Shino, we need to wash up, so let's go in through the back," Shibi instructed.

His son nodded his agreement. The two entered near the kitchen and were heading toward the bath when the unmistakable sound of shouting drifted from the formal meeting room.

Shibi sighed wearily. "That can't be a good sign."

Shino shrugged. Omiai's were not his thing. _Though shouting is probably _not_ a good sign_, he silently agreed.

OOOOO

Hinata caught up with the ex-omiai candidate several streets away. The shrieking was a good clue.

"They're still on me! I CAN FEEL THEM _CRAWLING_!!!"

The girl raised the sleeves of her kimono and screamed at the bugs crawling on her arms. She immediately squeezed her eyes shut and began crying.

The aunt raised a trembling hand to swat the bugs away.

"I'll help you!" Hinata exclaimed as she rushed forward. "Don't do that!"

She gathered chakra into her palms and placed the tips of her fingers on the girls shaking, outstretched arms. The kikaichuu eagerly crawled onto Hinata's hands, hungry for chakra and pleased to be off of this generally upsetting creature.

Hinata silently activated her Byakugan to make sure she'd gotten all of the bugs. Five more. Two more. She sighed when the little bugs were safe.

"Okay, it's safe now," she informed them. The girl carefully opened one eye, took one look at the bugs crawling over Hinata's hands, and ran screaming in the other direction.

Hinata sweatdropped as the twin dust clouds slowly settled down.

OOOOO

"What happened?" Shibi asked impassively.

"Oh! Um…" Kinako trailed off. She gave her husband a brittle smile. "Hi, Honey! You're home early!"

"What happened?" Shibi repeated.

"Well…there was a little incident…so now the omiai is over," Kinako laughed nervously.

"What happened?"

"It turns out that Miss Jurimuko dislikes bugs," Shibiki answered flippantly.

Shibi's eyes narrowed dangerously. "And how did you find that out?"

"I'm sorry," Kaoru burst in. "It's all my fault! I should have been watching him more closely."

Shibi started. "It is hardly your responsibility if my son misbehaves," he explained cautiously.

Kaoru pulled her own son into the room. "Shinomaru! Apologize to your Uncle Shibi right now! You ruined a very important meeting," she scolded.

Though Shinomaru's trembling mouth and tear-streaked cheeks might have been hidden by the collar of his coat, everyone was much bigger than him and could see his unhappy face from above.

"I'm sorry, Uncle Shibi," Shinomaru whispered.

The narrowed eyes widened in confusion. He had almost expected his eldest son to pull an impolite prank that would ruin the omiai, but Shibi had never expected something like this from his obedient little nephew.

"What happened?" Shibi wondered.

"I was training with my bugs," Shinomaru explained to his toes. "They found this scent that was really strong, so some of them went to investigate."

"I thought it might have been something like that," Shibiki nodded nonchalantly. Then he scooped his little cousin up into his arms. "It's not Shinomaru's fault at all. That girl was wearing enough perfume to give the village flower shop a run for its money. No wonder your bugs got confused."

Then Shibiki grinned and gave Shinomaru a squeeze. "You really saved me there, Shinomaru. No Aburame wants to accidentally marry a girl that hates bugs that much, right? So I owe you one, buddy."

Shinomaru sniffled, but he nodded in a miserable way.

"Shinomaru, don't be sad. I'm not mad at you at all, okay?" Shibiki bounced him up and down a little before setting him on the ground.

The little boy was still crying silently.

"Shinomaru…?"

"What's the matter, Shinomaru?" Kaoru asked worriedly.

"M…mm…my bugs. Some of them are missing. I think that woman might have taken them and squished them." Now the tears were fat drops that rolled down his cheeks in a wave.

"It's okay, Shinomaru-kun! I got them all back!" Hinata rushed in, knelt down, and held out her palms for Shinomaru to inspect. She'd even checked carefully on the way home to make sure none had fallen off on the wild flight from the omiai. The distinct color and pattern of the kikaichuu were easy for Hinata's perceptive eyes to recognize.

Kaoru and Kinako's eyes widened. There were over a hundred kikai bugs on Hinata's hands. She was just letting them crawl over her! Shibiki and his father narrowed their eyes to scrutinize the chakra glowing under the bugs. It was highly unusual for a non-bug user to be able to control bugs like that.

"See? This is all of them, right?"

Shinomaru stared and then nodded more happily. He held out his arms and called the little bugs back. They disappeared up his sleeves.

"Thank you." Shinomaru wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face against her throat.

Hidden by the collar of _his_ coat, Shino smiled at the sweet sight of his little cousin hugging Hinata.

"Well, dinner's ready," Kinako said cheerfully, the horrors of the afternoon already brushed aside. "Let's go eat.

Shino fell into step with Hinata and whispered softly. "My mother looks like she's doing very well. Thank you again for helping her."

"Of course, Shino-kun," Hinata whispered back.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own _Naruto_. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing.

Takes place sometime before Shippuuden

THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY MARVELOUS REVIEWERS!!!

Chapter 4

OOOOO

The Aburame dining room table was enormous because the entire clan ate together as a family. This was probably one of the reasons dinner conversation didn't get too personal, at least for the shyer ones like Shino. But he loved his family and enjoyed being in their presence. Usually. For some reason he felt weary and vaguely uncomfortable today.

Hinata eyed him suspiciously. He seemed particularly…not quiet—Shino was always quiet. _Fidgety_. That was the word. Shino kept rotating his wrist as if to stretch out his right forearm. Then he pressed his chest as inconspicuously as he could.

Finally, Hinata could take it no longer. She silently activated the Byakugan and peered at his right arm. The chakra in his right arm seemed particularly low, and there seemed to be fewer bugs than normal. Then she saw it. Right in the middle of his forearm was an enormous bug. It looked like a giant beetle, nothing at all like the small kikaichuu. It seemed to be soaking up Shino's chakra. As Hinata watched, several kikaichuu wandered close to it. The big bug suddenly ate them up.

Hinata's eyes widened with shock. Another second and two more bugs were gobbled.

Shino was right in the middle of serving himself another helping of vegetable salad when Hinata suddenly grabbed his arm and struck his forearm hard with a two-fingered Gentle Fist attack.

Blink. Blink. "Ow," he said belatedly.

"If you wanted the last serving, you could have just said so," Shibiki joked.

Hinata looked up, suddenly recalling the presence of dozens of Aburame men and women staring at her. Her cheeks went bright red; she stood quickly, stuttered an apology, bowed, and gripped Shino by the back of his collar.

"Excuse me!"

Shino stumbled after Hinata as she dragged him out the door.

OOOOO

Hinata found an unused room and grabbed a bug collection kit from a shelf along the way.

"Shino-kun, where was your last mission?"

"It was just inside the borders of Cloud Country," Shino answered wearily. He swayed slightly. "Why?"

Hinata studied his other arm carefully, then his legs. They seemed fairly normal. Head seemed okay. Then she scrutinized his torso. Everything looked normal…_Oh no! What is _that

Near Shino's heart was a bug similar to the one in his arm. It was slightly more bulbous at the end and had a long, narrow tail. It was draining his chakra at an alarming rate.

"Do you remember getting bitten by anything? Where you camping outdoors?"

"No, it was actually in a village," Shino was very curious about Hinata's actions, but he was finding it difficult to work up the energy to question her.

"Shino-kun, take off your clothes," Hinata instructed. She was already removing her own jacket.

"Hmm?" Shino murmured. Was this another of those…_strange_ dreams?

Hinata frowned worriedly at his lethargic expression. Then she nodded decisively and unzipped his jacket for him. She pulled it off and then pushed up his shirt.

"Hinata. What are you doing?" he asked weakly.

"Shino-kun, help me get your shirt off and then lay down."

Shino did as he was told. All the while Hinata kept a close eye on the alien bug.

_It looks like it's just eating his chakra because there's a lot near the chakra center and the heart. I hope this works. _

Hinata gathered a solid beam of chakra in her palm and positioned it near the bug. For a while it seemed to be ignoring her. Then it turned almost curiously and followed the beam. _Yes!_ Hinata guided it carefully around his heart and over his shoulder. Then she moved it down to his bicep.

"Shino-kun, when I say 'go' I need you to open Tenketsu 23 as wide as you can. Okay?"

"Hinata, what are you doing? It feels strange."

Hinata didn't have time to answer his questions. That thing was downright _evil_ looking.

"Now! Go!"

Nothing happened.

"Shino-kun, quickly!" Hinata focused the beam of chakra on the tenketsu and held her hand still.

A small hole appeared on Shino's arm. Then the antenna of the strange bug poked out to test the chakra Hinata was offering. Slowly the bug pulled itself out of Shino's body to get more of the strong, concentrated chakra.

When the tail was finally out, Hinata snatched the bug with the long tweezers and dropped it quickly into the bug case. She slapped the lid on it immediately and exhaled as she finally allowed her body to relax.

"Ano…" Shibiki attempted from the doorway. "We just wanted to make sure everything was okay, but it seems like we've come at a bad time, ne? So we'll just be going."

Hinata turned abruptly to find Shino's mother with wide eyes and a hand clapped over her mouth. Shibiki was attempting to shuffle her along. Shibi stood beside her, one eyebrow raised. Shino had definitely inherited his expressive eyebrows from his father.

Shino's immediate family had thought there had been some sort of emergency. They had never expected to find Shino lying on the ground—most of his clothes off and with a girl straddling him as if it were a perfectly normal activity.

"What is that?" Shino asked as he stared at the bug in the case to the left of his face. He seemed more awake now.

"I don't know," Hinata shrugged helplessly. Her hand rested comfortably on his stomach. "I thought you would, since you're a bug user. But I could tell it was bad."

Shibi strode into the room and picked up the case to study it. He inhaled sharply.

"Kore wa…(This is…)" In a flash he set down the case, pulled out something from within his jacket, and tossed what looked like a pill into the bug case. He executed a number of lightening fast seals and a small controlled explosion took place in the case. When the smoke settled, all that was left were ashes.

"Father…you just destroyed a bug…" Shibiki trailed off in shock.

"I never thought I would have to use that technique," Shibi admitted solemnly.

"What was that?"

"It was a Supaichuu (Spy Bug). It is even rarer than the Bikouchuu and a hundred times trickier to use. Long ago, the Supaichuu were used as assassination bugs. They infiltrate a bug user's body by being able to copy the scent of any healthy bug. For this reason, the other bugs do not recognize it as a threat. It is always found in pairs. They burrow together into their target's body. The male consumes the host's bugs and chakra until it grows to a certain point and is ready to mate with the female. The female feeds purely on chakra. Once the female gives birth, the larvas consume the host from within. The process takes no longer than a week. It is certain death to bug users," Shibi explained solemnly.

"What?" Kinako whispered weakly. "Shino…" She swayed dangerously.

"Mother!" Shibiki wrapped his arm around his mother to support her.

"I never knew such terrible bugs existed," Kinako whispered. "Is there anything that can be done?"

"I did not know of any such method. For the most part, the infected person does not realize anything is wrong until it is too late. We…have been very lucky today. I have never heard of a bug user surviving an infection." Finally, Shibi took in his wife's pale face and trembling hands and went to support her. In a reassuring tone, he continued, "Honey, Shino will be fine. The female was removed before the eggs were fertilized. And judging from Hinata-san's actions at dinner, I presume that the male has also been taken care of?"

Hinata nodded.

"The false scent has worn away and my bugs are disposing of the remains of the intruder," Shino informed them from his prone position.

"Shino will be okay, right?" Shibiki asked again.

Shibi nodded resolutely.

"Anata, could you be infected too?" Kinako gasped.

Hinata moved to Shino's side and put the arm she had injured into her lap. This time the chakra from her fingers was warm and healing.

"I have felt unusually tired today. This was most likely due to the chakra depletion," Shino explained. "It did not occur to me that this might have been a symptom, so I ignored it."

"I am not feeling tired," Shibi assured his wife. "And the Supaichuu are so rare that there is no way we could have both been infected."

"Do you think it was an accident? Or do you think it was planned?" asked Shibiki.

"I cannot say at this time."

"Hinata-san, I would like you to tell me more about what happened," Shibi requested.

Hinata nodded. She was finished healing Shino's arm, but it was still resting on her lap as she began.

"Shino-kun seemed like his arm was bothering him at dinner. He has a high pain threshold, so I took a look. There was a large bug. I can draw you a picture if you'd like. It was absorbing the chakra in his arm. Then I saw it eat some of Shino-kun's bug. I'm sorry for interrupting the dinner so rudely," she apologized sheepishly. "I panicked a little. It was eating them so_ quickly_."

Shibi shook his head. "Your actions were the wisest course. Please do not apologize for saving our son's life. So that is when you struck the bug in his arm?"

Hinata nodded.

"Please tell me about the female Supaichuu."

Hinata hesitated and glanced at Kinako. She didn't want to upset Shino's mother.

"It's alright," Kinako nodded resolutely. "The danger is over, so you can tell me."

"I searched and found it next to his heart. I wouldn't have thought something so small could drain so much chakra so quickly."

"How did you remove the creature?"

"I lured it away from his heart with concentrated chakra. Then I removed it by drawing it out from one of the tenketsu in his arm. Oh, I knew I shouldn't have said that!" Hinata frowned worriedly up at Shino's mother.

Kinako suddenly looked a bit green, but she shook her head and spoke in a firm voice. "I'm fine. A mother needs to know these things."

Shibi nodded at her proudly before turning back to his son. "How do you feel, Shino?"

"Fine. Just tired." Shino was still lying on the ground with his arm on Hinata's lap.

"You were very lucky today."

"Yes, I know." As Shino spoke, his hand on Hinata's thigh squeezed imperceptibly.

Hinata patted his hand affectionately. "We should get you some water and then you should sleep to recover your chakra."

Shino nodded again and moved to sit up. It was hard, not only because he was very tired, but because he'd been very comfortable. Hinata slipped an arm around his waist and helped him to his room.

"Shino-kun, would you like anything before I leave?" Hinata inquired solicitously.

Shino seemed to hesitate, but he shook his head.

"I'll stop by tomorrow. Sleep well, Shino-kun."

"Thank you, Hinata."

"Hinata, you are very late," her father commented as she slipped through the front door. He and Neji had waited up for her. They sat side by side in the front room, a tea tray between them.

"I was helping a friend all day, and then there was a medical emergency."

"I see," Hiashi nodded. "Were you able to be helpful?"

Hinata nodded quietly.

"That is good. You should go to bed now. It is getting late."

OOOOO

"What is it?" Shino stared at the beverage in Hinata's hands.

"It's a little chakra replenishing drink I've been working on. At worst it will have no effect. It won't hurt you."

Shino raised an amused eyebrow. "With praise like that, how could I refuse?"

Hinata giggled. "Just be good and drink it."

Shino took the cup and swallowed a hesitant mouthful. It tasted much better than it looked. Of course, it _was_ a rather ghastly green…and bubbling.

"It's rather refreshing," he noted.

"Hee, hee. That _is_ the point." Hinata watched him with her Byakugan.

Shino downed the rest in one go. Slowly, but surely, his chakra brightened until it was almost at his normal level.

"Hinata, this is a wonderful medicine."(A/N: It basically looks like the health drink, Green Machine. I'm thinking of calling it "Chakra-Up." Hee hee.)

"Thank you, Shino-kun. I've been working on it for a long time, and Tsunade-sama has been encouraging me to study pharmaceutical medicine as well as surgery."

Shino nodded. "How has the training been going?"

"Well. It's hard work, but it's also very rewarding. And Tsunade-sama has been very patient and encouraging with me."

"Have you told your father yet about the training?"

"Not yet. I…I want to have something to show for my training before I tell him. I want to have accomplished something he can be proud of."

"Hinata…"

"Mm, mm," Hinata shook her head. "This is the way I want it to be. When I am strong enough, then I'll be able to show my father that I'm not a complete failure. I've got to get going, Shino-kun. I'll come by with another batch tomorrow, okay?" The Hyuuga heiress waved and hurried to her weekly training meeting with the Hokage.

"Hinata…you have been strong enough for a long time now, much stronger than you give yourself credit for," he whispered softly.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden**

**THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY WONDERFUL REVIEWERS!!!**

Chapter 5

OOOOO

Hinata stretched her slender limbs, enjoying the feel of the crisp morning air on her skin. Her jacket was folded neatly on a log to one side of the training ground. She began her rhythmic kata exercises. By mid-morning she'd worked up a good sweat. _Perhaps it would be a good time for a swim_, she thought to herself.

"Hinata!" called a familiar voice.

Hinata turned her head in the direction of the summons.

"Hinata! Oi! Are you around?"

"Shikamaru-kun," Hinata called back.

Shikamaru and his signature spiky ponytail popped into view.

"Is something the matter, Shikamaru-kun?"

"Hokage-sama wants to see you. It's about a mission."

"Oh! Should I clean up or go straight there?" Hinata murmured, more to herself than to her fellow chuunin.

"Just head straight there. You know how Tsunade-sama doesn't like to be kept waiting. And she doesn't care if you're sweaty. It just shows you've been training."

"Hai," Hinata grinned sweetly. "Thanks, Shikamaru-kun." With that, Hinata flew through the clearing picking up her things and disappeared through the trees.

OOOOO

Hinata knocked quietly on the Hokage's door and waited for the gruff "Come in" before entering.

"You summoned me, Tsunade-sama?"

"Oh, Hinata. Yes. Shibi informed me of the emergency surgery you performed on his son. I'm very proud of you."

_Very proud of you_. Hinata's heart leaped at those words and her cheeks flushed happily.

"Thank you for saying that, Tsunade-sama." Hinata bowed.

Tsunade waved away the Hyuuga-bred formalities.

"I'm concerned about the use of the Supaichuu. From what Shibi says, it can't have been an accidental infection. The bugs are just too rare and not even native to the area. As you probably already know, the Aburame clan has a family vacation/reunion of sorts every year. This year they'll be heading to a place in the mountains that they've rented for a week. I'm sending you with them. Your job is to be on hand in case another Supaichuu incident occurs and to generally watch out for the safety of the Aburame Clan. They've got a lot of small children with them this year.

Shibi and I have discussed the arrangement already. He actually suggested you for the job. He has a lot of faith in you, it seems. He doesn't want to worry his family with the idea that they need bodyguards, however, so the story is that you are just attending the reunion as a friend of Shino. Understood?"

"Hai."

"Very well. I'm not too worried because it seems unlikely that there will be another attack, but with the Supaichuu possibility, it's better to be safe than sorry. Try to have some fun while you're there, okay?"

"Hai. Thank you for entrusting this assignment to me, Tsunade-sama."

"Ii-yo (It's fine), Hinata." Tsunade waved aside Hinata's humility. "You're a good shinobi. Remember to practice your healing jutsus whenever you can."

Hinata exited the building through the window, and Tsunade watched thoughtfully as her shy medic-nin pupil as she leaped from building to building.

OOOOO

"Come on, Hinata-neesan, _please_! I want to go on vacation with you!" Hanabi unleashed the full power of her sad puppy face.

Hinata shook her head with a gentle chuckle. "I'm sorry, Hanabi, but it would be rude of me to invite my own guests to someone else's family reunion. It's also a mission," she reminded her stubborn little sister.

"I can help! I'm a genin now!"

"Hanabi-sama, leave Hinata-sama alone," Neji's voice called from the hallway. "She needs to finish packing for her mission." The long-haired jonin calmly stepped into the room.

"If you leave, I'll be stuck here all by myself for a whole _week_," wailed Hanabi.

"Perhaps you can get in some good training," Hinata suggested. "And you won't be alone. Neji-niisan will be here because he doesn't have any missions."

"He's boring."

"Hanabi!" Hinata scolded absent-mindedly as she double-checked her clothes and considered throwing in a casual outfit. "He's not boring. He just takes his training and missions seriously."

"_He_ is also right here," Neji answered sardonically.

"He _is_ boring. He won't tell me who he has a crush on, even though I know he's been writing long-winded poetry to this girl because I can hear him muttering rhymes through the shouji (rice paper walls and doors)."

"Really?" Hinata asked, her full attention finally captured. She cocked her head and looked up at her red-faced cousin. Hinata's face split into a wide grin.

Neji coughed uncomfortably and looked away.

"The seals on his room are too tough. I haven't been able to break through them yet, but I suppose if you really won't let me go with you, I'll just have to break into his room to amuse myself," Hanabi murmured thoughtfully.

"I've changed my mind, Hinata-sama. You may take the brat with you," Neji offered magnanimously.

"Oi! Who are you calling a brat?"

"You."

"Hmph. Fine then. I'm not going to tell you what I found out about _her_."

"Who?" Neji asked suspiciously.

"The girl you looooove."

"Hanabi, you just admitted you didn't know the name of the girl Neji-niisan likes," Hinata pointed out. Over the years she, Neji, and Hanabi had developed a comfortable relationship between the three of them. At times it felt like they really were three siblings from a normal family, complete with the occasional bickering. Well, Hinata never bickered, but Neji and Hanabi made up for it.

"Nope. I just said he wouldn't _tell_ me. That doesn't mean I don't _know_."

"Actually, it does," Neji corrected coolly.

"And," Hinata added in a mischievous whisper, "the name of the girl in no way starts with the letter–"

Neji's hand was instantly over her mouth. He wasn't sure if Hinata knew, but he wasn't taking any chances. His much quieter cousin was very perceptive when it came to interpersonal matters. He wouldn't put it past her to have figured out his secret.

"Nee-san, you know!" Hanabi crowed triumphantly. "Tell me, tell me, tell me!"

"See, you _don't_ know," Neji smirked down at Hanabi.

"Neesan is going to tell my anyway, so it doesn't matter," Hanabi returned flippantly.

"No, she isn't." Neji sent his best quelling look at the girl whose mouth he was covering completely. The Hyuugas were known for their intimidating demeanor, and he turned the full Hyuuga glare on her. With that face and that expression, Neji looked just like her father.

Hinata grinned beneath his fingers before Neji suddenly removed his hand with a yelp.

"Did you just _lick_ my _hand_?!"

"Alright, Neji-niisan, I won't tell," Hinata began, the perfect image of contrition. "And Hanabi will promise not to interfere with your love life in any way for the next ten days."

"Awww," Hanabi pouted.

Neji's smirk grew tenfold.

"But you have to confess to the girl by the time I get back, otherwise I'm going to ask her out on a date for you and Hanabi will get to pick out your outfit."

Neji blanched.

"Sasuga Hinata-neesan! (As to be expected of my big sister, Hinata!)" Hanabi crowed.

"Now, I really must be going."

"Hinata-sama, c-can we talk about this?" Neji began.

Hinata kissed the blushing Neji on the cheek and Hanabi on the forehead before sweeping gracefully out of the room. Hanabi's evil cackle and Neji's pained groan followed her down the hallway, and Hinata grinned. At least they would have fun while she was gone.

**(A/N: Kaotic 312 – You've inspired me to make Neji a closet poet ;P )**

**(Author's Note: As for the Hinata/Hanabi/Neji scene, I don't know where that came from. It just appeared, so I invited it in for tea. If anyone thought it was OOC, sorry. Author reserves the right to make silly things happen for her own amusement. ; ) )**

**As for Hinata being out of character, well, I figure she's a few years older. If you look at how much she grows in just a six month segment, it seems like she **_**would**_** grow a lot during the time skip. I'm only as far as Shippuuden in the anime (and she hasn't appeared in anything I've seen), so if you know updated info on Hinata that I don't, that's why. Also, I just **_**want**_** her to be braver.**

**As for the tenketsu, I have a reason why I think Hinata and Shino can discuss them specifically, though it won't appear for a few more chapters, I think.**

**Thank you to all of my marvelous reviewers! Happy reviews make me want to post, and I really appreciate the people who take the time to give others encouragement.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden.**

**THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY WONDERFUL REVIEWERS!!! I appreciate you!**

Chapter 6

Hinata carefully stowed her special package in the seat compartment of the carriage before moving to stand next to her teammate.

"Will the jolting of the carriage really be alright for Kinako-san?" Hinata asked worriedly.

"She'll be fine. The road to the reunion site is wide and well kept," Shino assured her.

"Hinata-chan!" called Shibiki's voice.

Hinata glanced up at the top of the carriage where Shino's older brother was tying down the luggage.

"Hai, Shibiki-san?"

"Are you sure you don't want to put your backpack up here? There's plenty of space. Even Shino's bag is up here."

"Um…" Hinata pondered. She never traveled by carriage and was accustomed to carrying all of her things with her. The Hyugas didn't believe in being pampered, and the only time a member of the clan left the village was when there was business or a mission. On missions you took what you could carry. If you forgot to carry it, you lost it.

"As long as you've got your shinobi gear with you, you can probably stow your clothes and other things up there. You won't need them until we get there," Shino offered as his aunts piled their children into the carriage.

"True," Hinata nodded. With a graceful leap she landed on the roof of the carriage with a delicate tmp.

"Here, hand me your pack," Shibiki directed. "I'll tie it next to Shino's so you'll know where it is."

"Arigatoo, Shibiki-san."

"Hinata-chan, I'm not that old," Shibiki chuckled. " You don't have to call me –san."

Hinata's cheeks turned pink, and she smiled sweetly. "Hai, Shibiki-kun."

"Shibiki, where are the other carriages?" Shino inquired. The women, children, and older folk were all planning to ride in the carriages, and only one had arrived.

"Anata!" Kaoru called to her husband, Shiribi, "where's Shinomaru?"

"He's coming," Shiribi huffed along with his nephews. Shiribi was much younger than his older brother, Shibi, closer in age to his three nephews.

"What is all of that?" Shibiki wondered in awe at the dozens of suitcases and boxes being dragged out by the men.

"Sori! Don't forget the diaper bag!" Karika yelled from an open window.

"Hai, hai," her husband replied.

"Sora! Don't forget the wipes!" Karimi added.

"Hai, hai," her husband replied.

"Soru! Don't forget the spice rack!" Karime called.

"Hai, h-…spice rack? What do we need a spice rack for?"

"Just go get it! It's packed up on the kitchen counter."

"Hai, hai," her husband sighed.

"Maybe…I should carry my bag after all," Hinata chuckled at Shibiki's dismayed expression.

"Hinata, your _one small_, _efficiently-packed_ backpack isn't going to make a difference compared to all of this," Shibiki said pointedly in his cousins' direction.

"Don't even bother, Shibiki," Sori shook his head. "It's useless to argue. Just figure out a way to strap it all on."

Ten minutes later, Hinata glanced up at the top of the carriage. A single drop of sweat appeared on her forehead. By then the other carriages had arrived.

"Ano…" she trailed off. The bags and boxes were crammed haphazardly. A stiff breeze or a sharp turn would surely topple the entire carriage. "I'll help. Shino-kun, you help, too, okay?"

Shino nodded. Between the three of them, they repacked the carriages, distributing the weight as evenly as possible. Now and then, Hinata would make an alteration, claiming that certain bags needed to be on the carriage with the babies. Twenty minutes later, all the luggage was neatly strapped down and all of Shino's elderly relatives were piled in safely.

Hinata and Shino heard the sound of soft panting coming from the entryway. A small mop of unruly black hair popped into view.

"Shinomaru," Shino asked. "What are you doing?"

"Mother wanted to bring this rice, too, but father forgot to pack it," the little boy explained as he heaved once more at a 40 pound bag of rice that he'd managed to drag from the kitchen by pulling and pushing it over the smooth wooden walkways.

"I see," Shino nodded seriously. "It is good that you are so responsible, or surely we would have starved our first night. Good work, Shinomaru."

Shinomaru beamed happily at his role model, who deftly scooped up the rice and lashed it to the nearest carriage.

"All of this includes a whole week's worth of food for your entire family? No wonder it's so heavy," Hinata nodded.

"Chigau. The food is only to cover the first day or so. There are plenty of stores nearby. I have a rather large family. There are others that are on long-term missions in other villages, not to mention my grandmother's side of the family. They will be meeting us at the reunion site," Shino added.

"Oh. I didn't realize the Aburame Clan was so large."

Shino seemed hesitant all of a sudden.

"Shino-kun? Is something the matter?"

Shino was silent for several moments. "There is no good way to put this."

Hinata stared at him with concern in her eyes.

"Some of my family members are…strange. I just wanted to warn you."

Hinata's pale eyes widened before she burst into a small fit of giggles. "I'm sure they're all lovely people, Shino-kun. They're related to you, after all."

Shino seemed skeptical of her optimism. After all, Hinata hadn't met his Great Aunt yet.

OOOOO

Once the caravan was underway, the morning craziness subsided for a time. Hinata walked next to Shino to the left of the front carriage. Various Aburame men of assorted ages were sprinkled among the other carriages. Shibi and Shoromaru led the way. It seemed the carriages had to stop for bathroom breaks every hour, and sometimes earlier.

"We'll be stopping for lunch at a teahouse on the way," Shibiki informed Hinata. "It has very good food. We stop there every time we have our family reunion. It's right up ahead to the left."

"Will they be able to accommodate such a large party?" Hinata wondered.

"Not with seating, but we don't mind being served outside. We're an outdoor picnic sort of family. More natural."

"Oh! I see."

Half an hour later, the members of the caravan stood in front of a boarded up shop.

"Closed for renovations," Shibiki read sadly.

"Shibi, what's the matter?" Kinako poked her head out.

"The tea shop is closed. We'll have to stop later on."

"Closed?" Kinako asked worriedly. "But there aren't any other shops until we get to the retreat area. That's many hours from now."

"Ano…" Hinata attempted shyly, thinking of the provisions she'd packed out of habit.

"There's a stream and a clearing in about fifteen minutes. We'll stop there and forage for food," Shibi decided. Shinobi were accustomed to finding their own food during missions.

"Forage?" one of the women murmured. "Oh dear."

Hinata quickly scanned the surrounding terrain with her Byakugan. Everything seemed perfectly safe.

"Shino-kun, since we'll be feeding a large group of people, why don't we run ahead and start fishing?" she suggested.

"Good idea, Hinata. Father," Shino called. "Hinata and I are going on ahead to start getting ready for the meal."

Shibi nodded.

"Where are they going?" Kaoru wondered as she poked her head out the window, but there was no trace of the two young shinobi.

Hinata and Shino returned moments later.

"There is another restaurant that has opened up down the road, so we won't need to hunt for food after all," Shino informed the group.

"Oh good," Kaoru sighed. "I wasn't sure about this whole 'foraging' idea."

"Mm," Kinako drooled as the pungent aroma of spices drifted down the road, "I've got a sudden craving for tempura curry with lots and lots of green onions."

The carriages trundled up to the small brown building. A wizened little old man stepped onto the porch and rocked back and forth on his heels.

"Welcome to Ochi's Curry Shop! We've got everything from spicy curry to super-spicy curry to super-super-super spicy curry," the little man informed them. He rubbed his hands together eagerly. "I'll be taking care of you now."

Shino's older relatives piled happily into the shop to place their orders, followed by his cheerful Kari, Kari, Kari aunts.

Shino and Hinata filed in last, waiting patiently as the others crowded around the counter.

Shinomaru sat on a bench beside his mother and father, a small bowl of bright red curry in front of him. Ochi apparently didn't know the meaning of the word 'mild.' The little boy took a deep breath before quickly placing a small spoonful into his mouth. As soon as the spicy foodstuff touched his tongue, his eyes began to water.

"Shinomaru, is it too hot for you?" his mother asked with concern.

Shinomaru guzzled his small cup of water and bit his lip. Even the mildest curry at this restaurant was too hot for him, but he didn't want to inconvenience his mother.

Slowly, he shook his head, but he didn't move to take another bite.

"Shinomaru, we could get you some plain rice," his father offered.

"Ano," Hinata whispered to Shinomaru and his family, "I actually made some bentos, but there's no way it would feed everyone, so I felt bad about offering. Now, though, it seems like everyone is taken care of, so I think we could slip outside and have a picnic without hurting anyone's feelings."

"Hinata-chan, that's so kind of you!" Kaoru exclaimed.

"Come on, Shino-kun," Hinata whispered softly, keeping an eye out for the zealous Ochi-san. "I made one for you, too. I know you don't like strong smelling foods."

Shino and Hinata each reached over casually and took one of Shinomaru's hands before leading the little boy outside. Shino selected a private grassy spot rather far from the view of the restaurant as Hinata pulled out the bentos from the seat compartment of the main carriage and began unpacking the lunch on a picnic blanket.

"You've packed quite of bit of food, Hinata," Shino noted as he evaluated the stacks and stacks of boxes.

"Some of those are a surprise for later. I wanted to thank your family for having me along."

Shino's lips quirked slightly. Trust Hinata to feel the need to bring a thank you gift to the people she was sent to protect. He was glad to have her along. Her presence was always very…soothing. That's what he told himself, anyway. He observed his sweet teammate as she presented little Shinomaru with a bento box and smiled at the boy's ecstatic grin.

There were hot dogs cut to resemble little octopi, various dumplings, side vegetables, salmon onigiri (rice balls), and folded omelet rolls.

Hinata had a way with young children. She was kind, patient, and encouraging. The future Hyuuga Clan leader took a small bite and chewed slowly as she watched Shinomaru happily devour his bento. The small boy really had been hungry. Hinata took another bite, and Shino's eyes drifted to settle unconsciously on her lips. They were small, soft, and moist. Briefly, Shino wondered what they would taste like before Shibiki's voice startled him out of his strange thoughts.

"Well, don't you three look cute and cozy," he grinned. _Not just cozy_, he thought wistfully, _they look like a perfect little family sitting there. I wonder if Shino even realizes how lucky he is. _

"Shibiki-kun, I've got an extra bento if you'd like to join us."

The older boy nodded happily and sat beside his brother.

"Wow, Hinata-chan, this food is incredible. You made all of this?"

Hinata nodded happily.

"You're going to be a great wife someday."

Hinata turned pink all over in response to Shibiki's compliment. She turned her face shyly to the side and realized Shinomaru was about to fall asleep over his empty bento box.

"Shinomaru usually takes a nap around this time of the day," Shino explained quietly.

With a smile and a nod, Hinata positioned the small boy so his head was pillowed on her lap. Her gentle fingers brushed through his soft, dark hair.

"He really is very cute."

"He looks exactly like Shino did when he was three," Shibiki offered.

Shino felt a faint flush tint his mostly hidden cheeks when his teammate grinned widely at him.

**Author's Note: This chapter was full of family and love (and the logistics of moving several dozen people of all ages). The non-shinobi Aburame don't get out of the village much, if at all, so I wanted to highlight how their views on travel and accommodations would differ from the battle-hardened, carry-only-what-you-need, "No food? I'll eat this shrub, then!" mentality. Ninja action will appear eventually, I promise!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden.**

**Thank you to all of my reviewers. You make my day!**

Chapter 7

OOOOO

Hinata removed her things and left to scout the perimeter of the reunion site as Shino's numerous uncles began unpacking the carriages. It was a traditional setup, complete with covered walkways between buildings and a hot spring area. A wall surrounded the property, but the gates were simply barred with wooden locks. A thorough scan revealed that there were no hidden traps. The only people around were the minimal staff kept on hand to support the place.

After making a quick report to Shibi, Hinata was released from duties to join her teammate. Even with dozens of people around, Hinata easily found Shino's chakra signature.

"…train with me, Shino-niisan," came Shinomaru's little voice from around the corner.

"Yes. Sometimes training is difficult, but if you persevere, you will surely become stronger."

"I will!"

"Good."

"What are we going to do first?"

"First and foremost for an Aburame is the ability to track. That is what we will be concentrating on."

"Like tracking enemies?"

"Yes, although tracking is by no means limited to one's enemies. It can also be helpful to find your friends and loved ones, or it can be used to find someone or something that is lost."

Shinomaru nodded dutifully.

"First, we are going to practice scent recognition. Every person has a unique scent, and your kikaichuu will become skilled at recognizing any scent, even if they are only briefly exposed to it. Then they will be able to track that scent. Let's start with your father, shall we? Do you think you could send some of your kikaichuu to find him while you remain where you are?"

Shinomaru nodded slowly.

"You must command them to find him and then report back to you."

The boy raised his small arms and a line of kikai bugs flew down the corridor.

OOOOO

Shino and Shinomaru peered around the corner. Their fathers were talking to their grandfather.

Shibi sighed. "So it couldn't be helped. The Ishitaka Clan is coming."

His father nodded sagely. Your mother insisted. You know how fond she is of your Great Aunt."

"We'll just have to be careful, Shiribi. They will surely cause trouble."

"Are you still holding a grudge because of that prank?" Shiribi smirked. "That was years ago. They haven't bothered with that 'tradition' in a while."

Shibi sent his brother a quelling look, which Shiribi shrugged off.

Shino quietly raised his eyebrows. What prank were they speaking of?

"They did," Shibi pointed out. "I stopped them."

"Really? You never mentioned anything."

"_Kaoru_-san requested that I not mention it."

"WHAT?!" Shiribi shouted.

"Exactly. We must be on our guard. They will be arriving tomorrow. We should…where are you going?" asked a bewildered Shibi.

"To go speak to my wife," his younger brother growled.

Shino scooped up Shinomaru into his arms and withdrew (a.k.a. ran away).

OOOOO

"Shino-niisan? What was Daddy upset about?" Shinomaru asked worriedly once they were out of the way.

"It seems there was some sort of prank played on our fathers by the Ishitaka clan. Do not worry about it, though, for it is not a serious concern." _Though it is very interesting_, he amended silently.

Shinomaru seemed more at ease after hearing Shino's reassuring words.

Shino wondered where Hinata had gone. He'd sensed her down the hallway as he spoke to Shinomaru earlier. He _always_ knew when she was near. Instead of showing herself, she'd slipped off somewhere, probably going to help his mother.

OOOOO

Shiribi pulled away from his wife to let her catch her breath, though he kept his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"All of this excitement for something that _didn't_ happen four years ago?" Kaoru chuckled with amusement.

Shiribi muttered something that was muffled by the kisses being trailed up his wife's throat.

"Shiribi, it's the middle of the day," Kaoru blushed. "What if Shinomaru comes looking for us?"

"He's playing with Shino," he murmured huskily.

"The girls are going to think we're having a big fight, what with you stalking up to us and growling about—Ah!" Kaoru broke off as her husband possessively suckled the tender flesh at the base of her throat. She grinned up at the ceiling and clutched fistfuls of his white jacket as a quiet moan escaped her throat.

"What would you have done with all of this pent-up energy if I'd already managed to leave for the shopping excursion?" she giggled against his temple.

"An Aburame can track his woman anywhere," he growled.

"So you like to remind me," she answered as she pushed the lapels of his jacket away from his torso. Her eyes flickered once more to the screen wall and the tentatively latched door. "Are you sure about…?"

"_Yes_," he reassured her as he claimed her lips with another possessive kiss that left her breathless.

OOOOO

Hinata nonchalantly strolled through the compound, making sure to patrol all of the major walkways and check for anything unusual. Even though Shibi and Tsunade didn't seem overly worried about another Supaichuu incident, Hinata's shinobi training had taught her caution. After her third uneventful round, however, even she was willing to admit she was being a bit paranoid.

Perhaps she would trail Shino as he trained Shinomaru in scenting and tracking. _The way Shinomaru looks up to Shino is just so cute_, she sighed to herself. It was a privilege to see him with his family. Her normally stern and silent teammate had an affectionate, kind side that only his family and teammates got to see.

Hinata stopped short when she heard a groan of pain. Who was that? The Aburames were similar to the Hyuugas. Hinata knew that if a Supaichuu slipped in, it would be difficult to find right away because the Aburame men would bear with any pain for as long as possible. She made up her mind to speak with Shibi on the subject. She understood his desire not to worry his family, but the bug users needed to know the risks they faced, however slight.

Byakugan activated, Hinata scanned down the hallway and found the source of the…

OOOOO

There were dozens of inner courtyards throughout the compound. Wide paths meandered through the inner gardens and met with the covered walkways between buildings. A few of Shino's uncles and cousins stood chatting in small clumps, one group at a small picnic table, one in the shade of a large maple. He found his teammate's chakra signature easily. Of course, it helped that she was barreling toward him at top speed.

"Hinata-neesan?" Shinomaru inquired with a worried tilt of his head. Hinata-neesan's face was very red. He hoped she wasn't ill.

"Hinata, what is the matter?" Shino asked quickly.

"Nothing!" Hinata squeaked.

Shino relaxed. He knew that blush for what it was. Hinata must have grown embarrassed for some reason. Perhaps one of his relatives had made a comment. He would train with her and coax the truth out of her.

"Would you like to train with me, Hinata? I was just going to take Shinomaru to his mother."

"NO!!!" Hinata's panicked shout rang throughout the courtyard.

Shock and hurt passed over Shino's face, and it took a moment for him to school his features back to some semblance of his normal, cool demeanor. Hinata…had never rejected him before, not so strongly. Once, she'd gently remonstrated with him for trying to choke Kiba. She'd also used a strong, impassioned voice when convincing her teammates to take on the Bikouchu mission. But now…he didn't know how to respond.

"We need to check the perimeter!" Hinata declared. Her tone now held only a hint of panic.

Shino blinked. _Check the perimeter? What?_ "Hinata, what is the matter?" _If we are under high alert, why doesn't she just say so? Is she trying to keep Shinomaru from being worried? If so, she's not doing a very good job._ Shinomaru was looking up at them with a worried frown on his small face.

"I-I need to check the perimeter defenses," Hinata rambled, grasping at a plausible sounding excuse, "a-a-and I need you and Shinomaru to come with me!"

"Hinata, if there is any cause for concern, I should take Shinomaru to his parents," Shino pointed out.

"No! There's no cause for concern! A-a-and we should all go _together_ because then we'll be a three-man cell! All shinobi missions should be conducted in a three-man cell whenever possible." Hinata pointed out desperately.

While it was true that the three-man cell was the preferred ninja team, surely Hinata realized that a three-year-old (even a Kikaichuu-armed, Aburame three-year-old) was not the most suitable third. Something was wrong with Hinata. Shino stared at her intently for several seconds, weighing all the information he'd gathered in the last several hours. Hinata wanted to spend time with him, though she didn't want to train. He tucked away the warm feeling of relief that flooded his chest at that realization, and he concentrated on the matter at hand. Hinata wanted to keep Shinomaru with them, and it was a pressing reason because otherwise she wouldn't be this panicked. The last time Shino had seen his uncle, he'd been striding out the door to find his wife. He hadn't worried at the time because all of his uncles had very loving relationships with their wives, but it _was_ possible the two were having a quarrel over whatever had happened years ago.

"Hinata," Shino began carefully, "are Uncle Shiribi and Aunt Kaoru busy having a _discussion_?"

"Yes!" Hinata sighed with relief. Shino understood. It was still really embarrassing to be talking about it, though, and she could feel her cheeks warming up all over again. "They're having an important discussion, so we should be helpful and check the perimeter."

Satisfied with her answer, Shino nodded and led the way outside.

**Author's Ramblings:**

**I wanted a scene that hinted at the passion the Aburame's are capable of, which is why I had that scene with one of the younger married couples. **

**On a completely different note: Could anyone tell me how to make those light blue lines between sections? **


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden.**

**Thank you to all of my reviewers! That's why I'm posting you another chapter so soon. **

**Chapter 8**

A young man sighed as he knotted several strings on his pack. After a final yank, he sat back on his heels and ran a strong, lightly-tanned hand through his golden locks. He leaned his chin against his fist in quiet contemplation. As far as he was concerned, this was a ridiculous mission. His vibrant blue eyes narrowed. And as for being _ethical_, well…

"Tachoro, aren't you ready yet?" grumbled one of the two older men walking up to him. "We need to leave now if we're to infiltrate the compound and capture the target by tonight."

The other older man shifted his Kusagakure (Land of Grass) hitai-ate, a quiet glow of anticipation radiating from his determined visage.

Tachoro simply stood, shifted the long box on his back into a more comfortable position, and nodded once before falling in line with his team.

OOOOO

After dinner that evening, Shibi called a meeting of all the Aburame bug-users. Since Shinomaru was still a little boy, he was exempt from the meeting. Hinata smiled as his small form cuddled against his mother on a sofa in the large lounge. Traces of Hinata's homemade sweets lined his left cheek. Kaoru gently wiped his face as he settled in to hear a story.

Couches and comfortable chairs divided the room into cozy sections, and various Aburames were happily ensconced in their nooks. Many of them were already drifting off to sleep.

Hinata felt her eyelids grow heavy. The atmosphere was so warm and pleasant. She couldn't remember a single time when she'd felt this comfortable in her own home.

OOOOO

The youngest three mothers had tucked their little ones into bed. Karika remained to watch over the babies while her sisters went to chat with the others. She hummed a quiet tune as she stitched small flowers onto a tiny shirt for her daughter.

Low chuckling interrupted Karika's quiet reverie, and she froze. She whipped around to find two men dressed all in black in front of the open window.

"Look at the lovely little wildflower we've found, Genbo," the one on the right chuckled.

"She looks sweet enough to taste, Panto."

Karika stepped in front of the children and gripped her only weapon, the small needle she'd been working with.

OOOOO

Hinata's eyes snapped open. The seal was broken. All of the Aburames in the family lounge were asleep. She disappeared in a flash. Byakugan activated, she leapt to the courtyard while masking her chakra. Hinata located the intruders at once. There were two already in the room with the children. Hinata moved swiftly around trees and small structures. She landed like a silent shadow behind the two men advancing on Karika.

OOOOO

One of Tachoro's butterflies reported the disturbance and he hurried through the myriad inner courtyards. Silently, he suppressed his chakra and prayed no one would notice him.

They'd been found out. This was obvious to him when the forms of his "teammates" flew out the window and into some nearby bushes. He sighed and straightened up. It was pointless now.

He looked up to see who was responsible for catching onto their plan, and Tachoro's breath hitched in his throat. Crouched in the window was the silhouette of the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Her eyes shone with the beauty of the full moon. Her long dark hair flowed around her, caressed by the evening breeze. He wished he had his sketching pencils with him. _So beautiful. So beautiful._ So beautiful he almost didn't dodge her three kunai in time.

OOOOO

Shino fell silent. He'd been in the middle of explaining what it felt like to be infected with the Supaichuu when he'd sensed the spike in Hinata's chakra. His father, uncles, and cousins stared quietly at him.

Hinata's chakra leveled and plummeted until it was almost untraceable, which meant she was either actively suppressing it or had been attacked.

"Shino?" His father frowned. "Your report?"

"The women may be under attack," he said suddenly.

Shiribi started. "Under attack? Why do you say that? I've got some of my bugs with my wife. They'd have reported if something was amiss."

Shibi nodded. He, too, had stationed some of his bugs with his wife, just in case.

"I'll check," was all Shino said as he disappeared.

Shibi immediately followed his son. Shino had good instincts, and he wouldn't run out of a clan meeting for no reason.

OOOOO

Tachoro leapt back as the mysterious young woman dropped like a cat from the second story window into a graceful battle stance. He shifted uneasily into his own taijutsu stance. He'd been the top genin in his year, so he was certain he could overpower her, but he didn't _want_ to attack her.

She was a shinobi—that much was obvious—but she also wasn't an Aburame. His indecision almost cost him. He managed to dodge her second set of kunai, but not the mid-level kick to his torso. The air rushed out of his lungs, and he only barely blocked her twelve quick, painful hits.

She was good. He jumped back and ordered his comrades to restrain the girl but not hurt her. Her eyes narrowed as the fluttering creatures drew closer. Her right hand came up and her left arm extended out to form a seal. Her eyes met his directly, and a strange jolt of electricity ran up his spine.

"Wait!" a voice shouted. "Hinata, stop!"

OOOOO

Confusion passed over Hinata's face, along with a light blush, when Shino's arm wrapped around her from behind. Restraining or protecting, it was hard to say. Probably a bit of both.

Tachoro stared at the arm around his mystery woman's waist and felt his heart sink unpleasantly into his stomach. Was this young woman his cousin's wife?

"Tachoro?" Shibi inquired impassively.

"Yes, sir?" Tachoro replied in defeat.

"I was expecting something like this from those two scoundrels that are your uncles, but I never thought you were the type of young man to get involved with such activities."

"My mother asked me to watch out for them," he explained sheepishly.

"I see."

Hinata's confused face whipped from one man to another. Most of the Aburame Clan now stood quietly watching their Clan Head gently chastise his young relation by marriage.

"W-W-What is going on?" Hinata murmured uncertainly.

"That is a distant cousin of mine, Ishitaka Tachoro," Shino murmured in response.

"_C-C-Cousin_?!" Hinata squeaked.

"My uncles were intending to play a prank. Apparently it is a tradition between the Aburame's and Ishitaka's, though this is the first year I've heard of it," Tachoro explained shyly. For some reason, he found her stuttering endearing and sweet, and it made him feel bashful in response.

"_U-U-Uncles?!_" Hinata gasped in horror. " Oh no!" With that, Hinata disappeared into the bushes. Quiet sounds of dismay answered the general curious looks of the Aburame men.

Hinata's flushed form managed to drag out two groaning bodies moments later.

"I-I-I'm so s-sorry, Shibi-san! I d-didn't realize th-they were r-relatives of yours. They're still breathing!" Hinata's voice grew smaller and smaller as she assessed the damage, injuries _she_ had inflicted, with her Byakugan. "Only a few broken ribs…each…s-some internal bleeding. I can fix that!" she reassured desperately. Her voice again grew smaller. "Some bruises, and scrapes…p-probably from falling out the window…I'm not sure about the puncture marks…p-probably from the bushes…"

Hinata started when Shibi's quiet chuckle reverberated off the courtyard walls and grew into a full, deep laugh.

Shino raised a single brush-stroke eyebrow. He'd never heard his father laugh that deeply, or for that long, in his entire life.

When his laughter subsided, Shibi placed both of his hands on Hinata's slender shoulders. He stared down at her solemnly.

"Good work, Hinata."

Hinata's small mouth formed an "O" of bewildered surprise. She'd just beaten up his distant relations, and yet he wasn't angry with her? He was _commending_ her?

"There they are!" shouted Karika to her sisters. The three came tearing out of the kitchen bearing all manner of sharp, pointed implements of destruction.

The two older Ishitaka's had been quietly moaning on the ground, milking the situation to try and get the cute kunoichi to feel sorry for them and offer to nurse them back to health. Genbo and Panto took one look at the advancing trio and ran, broken ribs, bruises, and all.

"Come back here, you Ecchi perverts!" screamed Karika as she and her siblings chased the two out of the compound.

"Pervert?" Karika's husband, Sori, frowned before taking off after his wife. Sora and Soru followed.

"Ano…should we go after them?" Hinata wondered.

"Let's leave them be. It will be just punishment for their crimes," Shibi decided.

"Crimes?" Shino wondered. "Exactly what was their intention, Father?"

Shibi merely shook his head and walked inside.

"Uncle?" Shino tried. "I don't recall any event like this. How can it be tradition?"

Shiribi looked uncertain, but then he seemed to make up his mind and shrugged.

"It's not a yearly tradition. It only occurs if an Aburame gets married. During the next family reunion, those two attempt to kidnap the bride. If successful, then they each kiss her and then let her go."

"Oh…. That is…rather a strange tradition," Hinata murmured.

"The 'tradition' is only in their heads. No Aburame would let another man kiss his wife."

"When did this tradition begin?" Hinata wondered.

"With Kinako, actually," Shiribi chuckled.

"Mother?" Shino frowned.

"Since it was the first incident, Shibi had no warning. He's never really forgiven them. I can't say that I blame him. Early on, if no Aburame had gotten married recently, then they would try to kidnap Kinako again. I thought those childish pranks had ended years ago, but it turns out Shibi has merely been preventing their attempts. They were especially sneaky this year. Normally the attempts occur during their visit. The Ishitaka Clan is not supposed to arrive until tomorrow, so sneaking into the compound a day early was unexpected."

Hinata laughed uncomfortably. "I think I was a little too hard on them, for a prank, that is."

"You were perfect," Shibi disagreed from the doorway.

Hinata flushed at the second compliment she'd received in a single day.

"Hinata, how did you know they were here?" Shibi inquired.

"I placed a warning seal on the window of the babies' room, so if anyone tried to enter through there, I would know."

Shibi nodded his approval. "That was a good idea."

Shino listened and watched, occasionally voicing his suggestions, as Hinata explained her security measures. He liked that she seemed comfortable with his father. Many people found him, all of his male relatives really (himself included), to be aloof and uncommunicative. Hinata, however, was quiet and attentive. She picked up on subtle nuances that were lost on many attempting to speak with an Aburame. Unlike Naruto, who tried to fill the void with chatter, Hinata simply waited until a person was ready. Naruto. Shino sighed. What with having Hinata to himself for the past few days, he'd almost forgotten the loud-mouth ninja that Hinata loved.

"Shino-kun?" Hinata repeated with a sweet smile and a gentle tug on his sleeve. "Shall we go inside?"

He nodded and allowed her to playfully pull him through the doorway by his coat sleeve.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden. Or technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without Shippuuden in mind. **

**Thank you to all of my lovely reviewers!**

Chapter 9

OOOOO

Many of the older Aburames had gone to bed. Usually they were early-to-bed, early-to-rise sorts of people, but it was tradition to stay up late and chat during the first few nights. Tachoro was catching up with Shibiki. The two had always gotten along well, for they were both rather easygoing people. Shibiki had just finished explaining his latest mission when Shino and Hinata stepped into the family room to join the others.

Hinata made her way over to him.

"A-Ano," she began shyly. "Would you like me to heal your injuries, Tachoro-san?"

"Please, don't call me –san. And you didn't injure me. You are very skilled, but I was able to block all of your attacks. Except the kick," he added, jokingly rubbing his left side. Though it actually did hurt, he didn't want to make her feel bad.

"A-Ano..." Hinata trailed off, unsure how to proceed. "The thing is, I-I'm pretty sure I actually hit with all of my attacks."

"It's really alright," he assured her with a smile. "I blocked them all with my arms."

"Th-That's the thing," she murmured, poking her fingers together uncomfortably. "I-I was a-attacking your arms. I think I c-closed off most of the chakra points in your arms, so I should heal them or you might not be able to use your chakra effectively for a few days."

"Huh? Closed my chakra points? You can do that?" Tachoro rolled back the long sleeves of his shirt. Sure enough, there were small dot-shaped bruises all over his arms.

"I-I'm pretty good at reopening closed chakra points, so i-it won't take very long."

"I'll put myself in your care, then, Hinata-chan," Tachoro replied with a soft smile.

Hinata sat beside him on the couch and took his arm into her lap. There was no more seating, so Shino sat cross-legged by her feet. Point by point, Hinata applied warm, healing chakra to each of Tachoro's bruise marks. They slowly disappeared as if wiped away by magic.

_Hinata's touch is incredibly gentle_, Tachoro mused. Sitting this close to her, he was able to scent the lilac from her hair. A lock of the silken strands brushed over his skin as she worked.

Shino frowned imperceptibly. For some reason, Hinata's closeness to Tachoro made him uncomfortable. He couldn't quite figure out why. Was it the fight? No, he hadn't been afraid of Hinata getting hurt. Suddenly he remembered the feeling of lying beside her with his arm in her lap and the way her hand had rested comfortably on his abdomen. A light blush passed over his cheeks. Then the cold reality washed over him. Hinata had treated him the same way she was treating his cousin, with warmth, kindness, politeness, and concern—the same way she treated everyone.

He sighed quietly and stood up. Hinata had just finished healing Tachoro. She looked up at her teammate with a quizzical look. Shino tucked his hands into his pockets, a quiet gesture of emotional withdrawal.

"Shino-kun? Is something the matter?" Hinata worried.

Shino shook his head and replied quietly. "I'm tired. I'm going to bed."

"Oh, that's a good idea," she agreed.

"Oyasumi." Without another word, Shino slipped out of the room and headed to the room where he'd stowed his bag with his brother's.

"Oyasumi, Shino-kun!" Hinata called after him.

Shibiki sighed sadly. He'd known his brother for all of Shino's lifetime, and it was obvious something was bothering him. Not to mention, he'd just seen the widest range of emotions play over his brother's face as Shino watched his lovely teammate, and most of those looks weren't exactly happy.

Hinata nibbled her lower lip and fiddled with her fingers. Tachoro thought it was very cute and sweet. Everything about Hinata was cute and sweet—well, except for the parts that were capable and deadly. Luckily, he'd managed to avoid most of that. Most of it…

"Ano…Hinata-chan, are you as good at healing bruises as you are at reopening chakra points?"

"Hm?" Hinata turned her attention back to him.

"Would you mind healing my ribs?" he asked sheepishly. "That is, if it's not too much trouble."

"Oh! Of course."

Shibiki's frown went unnoticed. As much as he liked his cousin, Tachoro, he didn't quite like the way he was hitting on Hinata. He was torn between going to talk with his brother and playing unofficial chaperon to Hinata. In the end, Hinata made the decision for him by politely excusing herself as soon as Tachoro was completely healed.

With a quick goodnight, Shibiki slipped out of the family room and went to find his little brother.

OOOOO

For all intents and purposes, his brother appeared to be asleep.

"Shino," Shibiki said quietly.

No answer.

"You love her, don't you?"

Shino sighed in the dark. Several minutes of silence passed before he answered.

"She is my teammate and a good friend."

"Is that really all you feel? Are you really okay with that being as far as you go?"

But Shino refused to say anything else, and Shibiki finally gave up and settled down to sleep.

OOOOO

Hinata ran her comb through her recently toweled dry hair. Something was bothering Shino. She could just tell. But what was it? He didn't seem like himself.

"Oh no! It couldn't be!" she said to the empty hallway before hurrying to find her teammate.

She slipped her pack onto the ground and silently slid the door shut before activating her Byakugan. It didn't seem likely. She was probably being paranoid. Look where paranoia had led her—to beating up several of Shino's relatives. Still, she wouldn't be able to sleep without checking, and if something bad happened to Shino because she didn't take enough precautions, she would never forgive herself.

Hinata raked Shino's body with her eyes, carefully searching for another pair of Supaichuu. He seemed clean. He murmured something quietly in his sleep.

Hinata leaned closer trying to hear him. A lock of her hair fell forward and brushed against his cheek. Shino unconsciously tilted his face toward her scent.

"Hinata…" he murmured quietly.

She waited. He didn't say anything else. Oh. He'd probably been telling her to go to sleep, but he was too tired to say it clearly. Hinata watched Shino's sleeping form for a full minute before unrolling her sleeping bag and setting it up beside her team leader, as she'd done on every mission since they'd become genin together years ago.

She was asleep within minutes.

In the pitch darkness, one of Shibiki's eyebrows practically hit his hairline. _Well, _that_ was interesting. _

OOOOO

Shino sighed once more.

"Drop it, Shibiki."

"But it's very clear that you like her! And she seems to return your feelings! I just don't understand why you won't take this one risk. Why can't you just admit you love her?" Shibiki knew the difficulty of finding one's true love. Shino couldn't lose such a special girl, not if his big brother had anything to say about it.

Shibi paused outside the doorway.

Shino sighed once more. It seemed he'd sighed more in the past twenty four hours than he had in his entire life.

"Father, did you need something?"

"Nothing in particular," Shibi replied smoothly as he stepped into the room.

He noted the respective expressions of frustration and aloofness on his sons' faces.

"Something the matter?" he asked casually. A little too casually.

"No, Father."

Shino was almost believable, Shibi decided. But not quite.

Shibi stared at his son for several minutes straight. To his credit, Shino never fidgeted or looked away. The Aburame clan elder had trained his son well.

"Hinata is a very special girl."

"I know."

"If you do want to pursue her, know that your mother and I give you our full support."

Several moments passed in silence. "Thank you, Father, but…"

Shibi waited.

Shino made up his mind. He would just have to tell them, or they would keep hounding him in their own quietly persistent—and not-so-quiet in the case of his brother—ways.

"You do care for her," Shibi noted.

Shino nodded. It was good to be honest with your family. "I care for her a great deal, but…Hinata's heart belongs to someone else." Somehow, admitting that information out loud was even more painful than thinking it quietly. It's like it was immutable now, carved in stone and incapable of being erased.

Shibiki blinked. Hinata loved someone else? He didn't know much about her, but her general behavior toward Shino…didn't match the actions of a girl who already had a boyfriend. Not that Hinata was ever improper. Quite the opposite, she was always refined and ladylike. It was quite subtle and probably unnoticeable if one wasn't looking for it. A shy but warm glance here, a gentle tug there, and the way she stood and sat just a bit closer than one would with a regular acquaintance; all of these clues added up to…something. But this was troubling news. Shibiki knew the pain of unrequited love. Many of the girls he'd expressed interest in had gently turned him down saying they were already interested in someone else. In some cases, he'd even suspected them of making up prior interests, just to avoid hurting his feelings. Shino's big brother sighed. What could he do to help his brother?

"Hey, Shino, let's go into town together," he decided.

Shino narrowed his eyes suspiciously behind his sunglasses. "Why?" he asked carefully.

"It's a vacation. We should go out, maybe meet some interesting people. It won't hurt you. Come on. It's still early in the day."

Shino appeared to consider. Then he nodded. "Alright."

Shibi watched his sons cross the courtyard. Tachoro joined them on the way out, and the three made their way to the village. The Aburame clan leader stood thinking for several minutes before going to find his wife.

**(Author's Note: Oh dear. I wanted to mirror the names of the Aburame Clan with that of the Hyuuga, but I know it gets confusing. I have trouble keeping them straight, and I made them up! Thank you all for being patient!)**

**The confusing cast so far:**

**Shibi, Shino's Dad married to Kinako children are Shino and Shibiki**

**Shiribi, Shino's uncle married to Kaoru child is Shinomaru**

**Shino(well, yeah)**

**Shibiki, Shino's brother**

**Shoromaru, Shino's uncle/Shibi's cousin; sons are as follows**

**Sora married to Karimi child is Soramaru**

**Soru married to Karime child is Sorumaru**

**Sori married to Karika child is Kariko**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden. Or technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without Shippuuden in mind since the Konoha 11 are now 16ish. **

**Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews! **

Chapter 10

OOOOO

The village of Little Spring had a surprisingly large number of eligible young women roaming the streets. It was a resort area, so perhaps many of them worked in the area and others were there for their own vacations.

Wherever the three young men walked, they drew the eyes, and giggles, of many girls. Tachoro, in particular, drew the most appreciative looks, although the Aburame brothers drew their fair share of whistles and coos. It was something about the cool, poised aloofness that almost dared the onlookers to try and melt their calm demeanor.

It was quite gratifying, Shibiki noted, to be in a place where no one knew you as the weird shinobi that had bugs in his body. He loved his kikaichuu, but it was rather difficult to find a woman who felt the same way. Shibiki chanced a glance at his brother. Shino seemed completely unaware of the appraising looks raking over his tall form. Even Tachoro appeared lost in thought.

A large gaggle of girls suddenly surrounded them and began asking them inane questions. Tachoro answered politely. A couple latched onto Shino in particular and wondered what his name was, what his favorite color was, and whatnot. Shino tried his best not to be rude, but this sort of interaction was not his cup of tea.

Several lampposts away, Hinata ducked behind the corner of a fence and peered at her teammate and his new fangirls. She'd managed to catch up to him after being informed by Shibi that the three boys had gone into town. Her cheerful little grin had faded, however, at the sight of a dozen girls surrounding her best friend and pressing into his personal space. Now she stood forlornly in the shadows feeling rather dumpy in her hooded sweatshirt and shinobi pants. All of those girls were wearing cute, tiny skirts and low-cut blouses.

Maybe…maybe it was wrong of her to come. It's not like Shino had invited her along. She'd just run off to follow him. Maybe he wanted to spend some time with normal girls, and that's why he hadn't told her he was leaving. Hinata bit her lip sadly and slipped away.

OOOOO

Back at the resort, the commotion of new arrivals had finally died down. The Ishitaka clan had arrived. The Ishitaka's were the blood relatives of Shino's paternal grandmother, Iiko, a gentile, loving woman that was an emotional pillar of the Aburame family. Her twin sister, Zuruiko was the polar opposite of her twin, though she, too, was a pillar of her clan.

Shibi withheld the sigh that longed to escape as his trickster septuagenarian aunt smacked his left cheek—and not the one on his face. His wife, Kinako, giggled as she always did. Shibi secretly thought the only reason his aunt tormented him so was to get his wife to laugh, which was also the only reason he put up with it. Surely Hyuuga Hiashi didn't have to live with such indignities.

Tachoro's immediate and not-so-immediate family had arrived. Taro, his little brother, stood in the center of his aunts' attention. His silken blond hair, big blue eyes, and cherubic face usually melted all of the women around him, and he knew it. He patiently allowed the various Aburame women to coo over him and kiss his cheeks. Each of them exclaimed how cute he was.

From the corner, Shinomaru quietly observed the proceedings. At the back of his perceptive little mind, he noted that his aunts never fussed over or kissed him like that even though he was technically a year younger than Taro, and he wondered why. Shinomaru briefly pondered if it was because he didn't have yellow hair. Unable to come up with a sound answer, he shrugged and decided to go bug-watching.

Taro waited through several more minutes of petting before slipping off to find his cousin. On the way out he passed a weird-looking servant girl that nodded politely at him.

OOOOO

Shinomaru enjoyed watching the water skeeters that danced over the surface of the small pond. They were so graceful to be able to walk on the water like that.

"That jacket. Shinomaru, does that mean you got your kikaichuu hive?" Taro asked from behind him.

Shinomaru turned his head to face his cousin and nodded.

A twinge of jealousy passed over Taro's face. The Ishitakas didn't receive their butterflies until they were older. Shinomaru returned his attention to the bugs gliding over the water.

"What're you doing?"

"I'm watching the bugs. They're very pretty."

"They don't look all that special to me. Butterflies are much prettier," Taro argued.

"They can dance on the water," Shinomaru pointed out.

"So?"

"I'd like to do that," Shinomaru admitted quietly.

Taro laughed. "That's stupid. People can't dance on the water."

"Yes, they can," Shinomaru frowned.

"Can't."

"Can."

"_Can't_."

"Can."

"Can't!"

"Can."

"CAN'T!!!"

"Can."

"Fine then! Prove it!" Taro huffed and crossed his little arms over his chest. "Show me. Dance on the water."

Shinomaru hesitated, but he knew he was right. He stood up and balanced on a flat rock at the edge of the pond. Sunlight winked up at him from the surface of the dark water. He placed one sandaled foot on the water and imagined himself standing there. Shinomaru held his foot there for a full minute before swinging his other foot down.

The cold water swallowed him up with a splash. For several disorienting seconds he lost his bearings and couldn't tell which way was up. Then a strong pair of hands yanked him up into the air. Coughing and spluttering, he was still able to hear Taro's derisive laughter.

"I _told_ you it wouldn't work, baka!"

"Shinomaru! What were you thinking?" his uncle Soru asked worriedly. "You could have drowned doing something like that."

Shinomaru looked down dejectedly and apologized.

"It's alright. Just…just think about it carefully next time, okay?"

Shinomaru nodded.

"You should get changed into dry clothes or you'll catch a cold," his uncle suggested, not unkindly.

Shinomaru trudged away toward his room.

OOOOO

"Shinomaru-kun! How did you get so wet?" Hinata exclaimed.

His small mouth trembled and he looked down in shame.

"Shinomaru-kun? What's the matter?"

He shook his head and wouldn't say anything. He didn't want Hinata-neesan to laugh at him.

Hinata gently took his hand and led him to the bathroom to get him one of the large, fluffy, white towels that belonged to the resort. She helped him out of his wet jacket and toweled him off.

"Were you going for a swim?" Hinata asked casually.

From down the hall came a burst of raucous laughter. Shinomaru cringed visibly, increasing Hinata's worry tenfold.

"Shinomaru!" Kaoru came running down the hall. When she saw her son safely wrapped in a towel, she sighed with relief. "Shinomaru, what were you thinking doing something so dangerous? You could have drowned!"

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"Just…just be careful next time, okay?"

He nodded, just as he had with his uncle. His mother gave him a reassuring squeeze before going to find him some dry clothes. She returned a minute later with a full set of her son's clothes, except the jacket, which simply had to hang dry.

"Shinomaru-kun, where are your sunglasses?" Hinata wondered.

"I lost them in the water," he admitted in defeat. "They're special because they're really small, and I don't have another pair. My daddy gave them to me." He sniffed a bit, trying not to be a crybaby.

"Show me," Hinata answered.

"What?" Shinomaru looked up. Hinata smiled inwardly, noting that his eyes were just like Shino's.

"Show me where you lost them." She tugged on his hand gently.

He led her to the small pond and pointed at where he'd fallen in, but there was no way to get the glasses back. The pond water was dark and cloudy.

"There they are," Hinata reassured him, having already scanned the water with her Byakugan.

"What?"

Hinata leaped lightly onto the water and embedded a small amount of chakra below her. Moments later, a little whirlpool appeared and a spout of water shot into the air depositing a small pair of sunglasses into her outstretched hand. She wiped them off on her jacket and turned to find Shinomaru gaping at her in shock.

"Y-You're standing on the water!"

"Huh? Oh, um, hai," Hinata answered. It wasn't anything special, so his sudden delighted expression took her by surprise.

"I knew it was possible!" Shinomaru exclaimed. "Taro didn't believe me, but I knew it!"

"Water walking?"

Shinomaru nodded eagerly, his uncovered eyes shining with happiness.

"Actually, it's quite common," Hinata admitted.

"Really?"

"Really. Shinomaru-kun, is this what you were trying to do when you fell in?" Hinata asked.

Shinomaru nodded sheepishly.

Hinata blinked and then laughed in delight.

For some reason, Hinata-neesan's laughter didn't make him feel as bad as Taro's did.

"Shinomaru-kun, you really are going to be a great shinobi soon," she smiled.

Shinomaru blinked. She was complimenting him for falling in the water?

"Most shinobi don't start water training until they're much older, and usually after they've mastered wall and tree climbing. To skip right ahead to water walking is quite ambitious of you." She held out his sunglasses.

His wide expressive eyes blinked up at her before he accepted his glasses back and positioned them on his little nose.

"I didn't. I failed," he pointed out.

"The whole point in training is to learn new things, and the things that are most worth learning take a while to master," she said encouragingly. She held out her hands to him, "Come."

Shinomaru looked at her uncertainly. He'd already had one bad experience at this pond today.

"That's exactly why you must try again today," Hinata answered as if she could read his mind. "Come."

Shinomaru stood on the rock once more, except this time Hinata directed him to step right on top of her feet. She held his hands and supported him as he placed one foot and then the other on top of hers. She helped him a little by using chakra to stick the bottoms of his feet to the tops of hers.

"My feet are tingling."

"That's my chakra. Do you know about chakra?"

Shinomaru nodded. "Shino-niisan and Daddy have told me about it. I can make a little chakra with my hand."

"To walk on water, you need to be able to send chakra to the bottom of your feet and use it to hold you up on the water's surface. You mustn't be discouraged if you don't get it right away. As I said, most people don't even _start_ learning this until they're already Genin.

Shinomaru bobbed his head eagerly. It didn't matter if he couldn't do it alone. It didn't even matter if he couldn't do it for several more years. Hinata-neesan could do it, and that's what mattered.

He looked up at her in wonder. "Does Shino-niisan know how to do this?"

"Hai."

Shinomaru grinned.

OOOOO

Shibi watched silently as Shinomaru held up his hands and formed a little glowing ball of chakra between his palms. His little face was deep in concentration. He and Hinata sat on the grass beside the pond on the grounds.

"That's amazing, Shinomaru! Do you think you could do the same thing with your feet?"

Shinomaru peered down at his bare feet and screwed up his face as he focused. Nothing happened.

Hinata waited several more minutes before gathering chakra on her fingertips and gently touching the bottom of his foot.

"That tickles my toes!" squealed Shinomaru.

"What, this?" Hinata asked innocently before tickling his other foot.

Shinomaru rolled on the grass and burst into hysterical giggles.

When he settled down, he cuddled against her side and asked, "Hinata-neesan, do you know any stories?"

"Stories? I know a few. Would you like to hear one?"

Shinomaru nodded eagerly.

"Well, there's one in particular that I think you would like. It starts like this…"

**Author's Notes: **

**1) Can't...indent… (Sigh…my carefully spaced family chart was all squished into one blob of text. Sorry!)**

**2) Sorry if the chapter's too long. I considered cutting it off earlier, but I wanted to end on a happy note. **

**Thanks again for all of the encouraging reviews!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden. Or technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without Shippuuden in mind since the Konoha 11 are now 16ish. **

**Your marvelous and supportive reviews make my day!**

Chapter 11

OOOOO

Shino clamped down on a sigh. The giggling girls had followed them around for two hours, and they didn't seem capable of retaining information. The actual content of what he said didn't seem to matter. He was just about to change his favorite color to purple when several high-pitched squeals heralded the proximity of a jewelry shop. The sea of girls shifted around him, and Shino briefly wondered if this was the _real_ reason Uchiha Sasuke had cracked and left the village.

His harassed gaze scanned the storefronts and stopped at a familiar round object. Hinata would like something like that, he decided.

"I'm going back," Shino announced to his brother and cousin.

"But it's still early!" Shibiki pointed out quickly. He'd hoped Shino might strike up a conversation with a few cute girls, but as the morning had burned off to afternoon, Shino's patience had boiled dry.

Shino shook his head and slipped away to the shop down the street.

OOOOO

Shinomaru sat coloring at a low table in the large family room when Shino walked through the doorway looking for Hinata. He found her curled against the armrest of a couch nearby, a faraway, wistful expression on her face. For a full minute he stood and simply watched her, wondering what was on her mind.

Kinako secretly observed the look of longing that passed over her son's face. The moment of yearning was brief, but it made his mother's heart ache just watching him. It was just such a shame that Hinata already had a boyfriend. She was perfect for her youngest son. She couldn't help the little sigh that escaped.

Shino's face whipped around at the sound of his mother's unhappy sigh. He quickly went to her side and knelt on one knee.

"Mother, what's the matter?"

Once again, Kinako marveled at her boy's ability to notice _everything_. She smiled and reached out a hand to cup his cheek.

"Nothing, Shino-sweetie. I was just thinking."

"I brought you something."

"Hm? Oh, Shino, you didn't have to!"

"I wanted to," he explained as he presented the large blue box he'd carried inside. "They're for you and the aunts."

"Shino, you really are a very sweet boy," she grinned.

"That's because I have a very sweet mother," he answered with a kiss to her cheek, completing their little ritual.

"Who are the little ones for?" she asked, noticing the two small boxes.

"For Hinata and Shinomaru. If you'll excuse me?"

"Of course," she waved him away, though she kept an eye on the proceedings.

Hinata blinked as Shino's weight shifted the cushions to her right. Had she been so lost in thought she hadn't even realized he'd returned from the village?

Wordlessly, he placed a blue carton on her lap before leaning forward to place one beside Shinomaru.

"For me?" Hinata wondered.

Shino nodded.

Hinata opened the carton and peered inside. The smell of warm, sweet dough and cinnamon rose up to greet her. A sunshine grin rose on her face, and a warm, happy feeling flooded Shino's chest. He loved making her smile.

"You brought me a cinnamon roll! Thank you so much, Shino-kun. They're my favorite!"

"I know," he answered softly. "You're welcome."

"Did you already eat yours in the village?" Hinata asked in a quieter tone, deliberately trying to be casual.

"I didn't get one for myself," Shino shrugged.

"Shino-niisan," Shinomaru managed between large bites, "did you have fun doing your errands in the village?"

"Not really. It was too noisy and crowded."

For some reason, Hinata felt immeasurably cheered by those words. She pulled off a piece of her treat and closed her eyes as the delicate sweetness melted in her mouth.

Shino's breath hitched at the sight of her blissful expression. He watched her small pink tongue tease the cinnamon sauce from her lips and swallowed a particularly large lump in his throat.

"Mmm, it's so good," Hinata practically moaned.

_Oh dear god_, Shino groaned inwardly. He shifted imperceptibly on the couch. It was a good thing he had a big jacket.

"You have to have some, Shino-kun." She offered him the box.

Shino shook his head. "It's for you."Though, if he had to watch her eat the whole thing in that sensual way, he would probably die.

"Just a bite," Hinata insisted, lifting a piece to his lips.

With her delicate fingers so close to his face, he couldn't resist leaning forward and accepting the small morsel. Hinata's fingertips brushed against his lips. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she brought her thumb and then her pointer to her mouth to lick the sticky sweetness away with a tiny smile.

Shino accepted an occasional piece of cinnamon roll from Hinata and absentmindedly watched Shinomaru completing his work of art. The older Aburame boy tilted his head and studied the drawing. There were two people in the picture, and one of them had long, flowing dark hair.

"Shinomaru, is that Hinata?" he asked.

Shinomaru nodded. "And this is you, Shino-niisan," he explained, pointing to what was obviously an Aburame. The poses of the figures were slightly strange and twisted together. With a small blush, Shino realized the Shino and Hinata in the drawing were holding hands and facing each other. "This is Shino-niisan and Hinata-neesan dancing."

Hinata blushed through three new shades of red, but a little smile tugged at her lips.

Shino inhaled slightly, unsure of what to say. "Why is the ground blue?" That seemed safe enough.

"It's water. Hinata-neesan was training me today! Hinata-neesan says I'm getting really good! I can form a little chakra in my right foot now!"

Shino listened patiently as Shinomaru explained the lesson Hinata had given him today.

"There's Daddy!" Shinomaru exclaimed. Sure enough, Shiribi had returned from wherever he'd been that morning. Shinomaru ran over to his father, who scooped him up into a hug. The little boy pulled off his sandal and pointed at his right foot as he bubbled over with excitement.

"He's got excellent chakra control for his age. I bet he could be a medical ninja if he wanted to," Hinata commented softly.

Shino nodded. While he was impressed with Shinomaru's chakra skills, his mind could only concentrate on the feeling of Hinata's warmth along his left side, enough to be close but not enough to touch.

"Has anyone seen Shino?" Shibiki called from the hallway.

Shino sighed and went into the hallway.

"It's about time to start working on dinner," Kaoru announced a moment later to the room at large.

Hinata nodded and stood. Even though she wasn't required to help cook, she enjoyed spending time with Shino's family and helping out in whatever ways she could. At the doorway, however, she froze when a distinctly feminine laugh sounded from the other end of the hallway. Shino and his brother stood with two young women draped over them. Hinata felt a clenching pain in her chest that was worse than the one her cousin had inflicted on her during the chunin exams years ago. She ducked out of sight before anyone noticed her.

OOOOO

Shino shuddered, and not in a pleasant way, as the youngest girl seductively caressed his chest. He should've just stayed on the couch with Hinata. Shino stepped back.

"Please don't do that, miss." He glared at his older brother, who shrugged back apologetically.

"Ri-ka-cha-n," she drawled, pausing for effect between each syllable.

Shibiki noted that the younger sister seemed much more forward and aggressive than the older one. Mika was coyly tracing the back of his hand with a manicured fingernail. Now that he thought about, he wasn't really sure how they'd gotten here. He'd made his excuses to the girls at large, unthinkingly stranding Tachoro by himself, and made his way home. These two had walked along with him and started up a conversation. Rika had expressed interest in talking to Shino again, so he'd thought it a good idea at the time to invite the girls inside.

Now he was beginning to regret that decision. Shino looked distinctively uncomfortable, and he was actually sending his older brother annoyed glares.

Shino resisted the urge to growl as Rika tugged his collar down. He settled for side-stepping her once again. If Shibiki thought he was doing him a favor, they really needed to talk. Being with girls like this just emphasized how much of a lady Hinata was and made Shino compare these cheap alternatives to what he _didn't_ have.

From around the corner, Shibi raised an eyebrow. Shino's chakra signature was…disturbed, for lack of a better word. No. That was the perfect word. His normally composed son was unpleasantly agitated. His wife placed a hand on the small of his back and looked at him questioningly. He was in what she lovingly referred to as "stealth mode." He looked back down and motioned around the corner with his head.

A grating, high-pitched giggle interrupted their silent exchange, followed by a few inappropriate suggestions that made Kinako's eyes widen in shock and then narrow in consternation.

Time to rescue his son again, Shibiki decided. He stepped around the corner and walked calmly toward the group of teenagers.

The two simpering girls jumped at his sudden presence and exchanged a brief glance of fear. Shibi noted this and sighed. He wasn't even _trying_ to be scary. How could girls like this ever be a part of the Aburame family?

"Shino, Shibiki, I believe you have some chores to finish for your mother," he reminded pointedly.

"Of course, Father," Shino bowed dutifully and gratefully. His retreating steps were brisk and determined.

"Shibiki, you may escort the young ladies home, but I expect you back within fifteen minutes."

"Sure, Father," Shibiki answered uncertainly before ushering the girls out the door. As far as he knew, they didn't have any chores or responsibilities.

Shibi followed his youngest son into the now almost empty family room where Kinako sat in an armchair with a frown on her face.

"Thank you for your help, Father," Shino said sincerely.

Shibi nodded.

"Shino…" Kinako began uncertainly. "Girls like that…"

"I didn't invite them!" Shino explained quickly.

Kinako studied his flustered face and nodded slowly. "Alright, I believe you, of course, but why were they here?"

"I think they just followed Shibiki home," he sighed in exasperation.

"You just left Hinata there, you know," she said quietly.

"Where did she go?"

"Most likely to help prepare the family dinner."

Shino nodded and went off to find his teammate.

Kinako turned to her husband thoughtfully. "Anata…are you sure about Hinata being spoken for? She really doesn't act like a girl with a boyfriend. In fact, if I really thought she had a boyfriend, I'd have to take her aside and have a talk with her about not leading on good boys like Shino."

Shibi raised a playful eyebrow. "Have you lost faith in my information gathering skills?"

"Nonsense," she patted his shoulder gently. "I know you're a master at stealth and lots of other shinobi things. I'm just saying you might not know as much about teenage girls as you think you do."

"I received the information from our son," he pointed out.

"Well, yes, but what do teenage boys know about teenage girls anyway?"

"Little Shino's girlfriend is cheating on him, is that it?" Great Aunt Zuruiko suddenly popped into the conversation and added her two cents. "Not to worry! I'll take care of it."

Shibi groaned and tried to stop her, but the old woman had dashed away. This was _not_ good.

OOOOO

"Rika, I thought you said the clan head had been taken care of?" Mika asked cautiously. She didn't want to appear accusatory, but, well, the plan had somehow fallen apart.

"I did! I mean, he _was_. I'm sure the Supaichuu were deployed without a problem. I don't understand why he's still alive. Maybe he's just really resilient. Maybe the eggs are taking an abnormally long time to hatch. That's probably it."

"Is it possible another victim got in the way?"

"No. No way."

"Perhaps the Supaichuu moved to a different host for some reason? If so, we need to find the new alpha male soon to put it into containment."

"Father would be so angry if we lost it…. We'll have to get the truth out of that Aburame boy."

"Which one?"

"Does it matter?"

Mika paused to think of a diplomatic way to phrase her next words.

"I don't think Shino-san is falling for it. With a little effort, I think I could lure Shibiki into telling us what we need to know." The girls had allowed Shibiki to walk them down the street, but then they'd insisted he go and help his mother. He's grinned sheepishly and apologized for his father's brusque ways. The older boy seemed nice enough. She could probably take advantage of that somehow.

"What? Are you doubting the powers of my feminine wiles?" Rika smirked. "Jealous?"

"Hardly," Mika sighed. Her younger sister was very difficult to work with sometimes. Rika was about the same age as the younger boy, only a few years younger than Mika, and yet it seemed like a lifetime of maturity separated the sisters. Rika was simply too hot-headed.

The Inago Clan specialized in locusts, and their bug techniques were carefully guarded secrets. They also used Supaichuu, but to prevent accidental infections when handling the bugs, certain shinobi from the family were trained to be the caretakers of the Supaichuu. A Supaichuu caretaker was not allowed to host the locusts. Being bug-free was the safest defense against the Supaichuu, who needed a ready supply of food in order to flourish.

"He likes sweets," Rika stated. "Did you see all of the cinnamon rolls he bought? Those Aburames sure are pigs."

"Rika, I highly doubt he bought them all for himself."

"Shut up. I've got a plan."

Author's Notes:

OO Sorry about ending the chapter on a potentially scary note. It just seemed like a good stopping point.

I think Shinomaru's becoming my little Cupid.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden. Technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without regard to Shippuuden. The Konoha 11 are now 16ish, but I wouldn't call this AU, so I'll call it OS (for Outside of Shippuuden).**

**Thank you for your reviews! They make my day!**

Chapter 12

OOOOO

"Alright, Genbo, Panto," Zuruiko began sternly. "Even though you failed to uphold the family name yesterday, I am willing to give you another chance."

Her two youngest boys nodded eagerly.

"I'm going to speak to Shoromaru's daughter's-in-law to find out more about what's been going on. You are to go and find out about the most eligible young men in Konoha. We need to know what little Shino is up against."

"Yes, Mother!" they chanted together.

Genbo and Panto rushed off to complete their mission. Unfortunately, they weren't on very good terms with most of the Aburame men, what with the countless attempts to kidnap and kiss their wives. The Aburame men didn't take kindly to that. They gathered what they could, mostly from the elderly Aburames who were at least willing to listen to their questions, though a few gave them weird looks and suggested a number of older available Konoha men. They backpedaled quickly and explained that their interest was purely educational. In the end, it was the skeptical looks that chased them away. They reported what they could.

"I see," Zuruiko nodded. "Good work, boys. That's some very interesting information."

OOOOO

First, the rice was started. That was almost always the first task. Next came the washing of all of the vegetables and the preparation of the many ingredients that would be used in the main dishes. At least, that was the plan.

The rice was fine and steaming happily. The vegetables were washed and lined up like patient soldiers along every surface. But when Kaoru went to gather the knives to begin chopping cabbage for the dumblings…

"Nai!" She pulled open another drawer. "Nai!" She looked in the sink. "Nai!" She checked every single cupboard and shelf. "Nai!"

"Where are all of the knives?!" she shouted to no one in particular.

"Ano…Kaoru, my delicate flower? Is something the matter?" Shiribi inquired gently. It was not wise to provoke an irritable Aburame woman that was shouting about knives.

"There's not a single knife in this kitchen! I didn't notice before now because we all had porridge for breakfast and leftovers from last night for lunch. Where could they all be?"

Shiribi thought carefully before remembering the fight last night. "Um…I think the Kari, Kari, Kari girls may have used them up chasing Panto and Genbo around the compound last night."

"What?!" Kaoru's head sunk in defeat. "I can't believe this. If I'd known, I'd have bought some in time. Dinner's going to be late at this rate."

"I'm sure no one will mind," her husband reassured her.

"Shiribi, give me some of your kunai," Kaoru directed.

"No!"

"What did you say?" Kaoru asked pointedly, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"I mean, baby, I'd do _anything_ for you, you _know_ that," he backpedaled, "b-but I _stab_ people with those knives! I clean them and all, but you don't want to prepare our _dinner_ with them."

Kaoru growled, and a single drop of sweat rolled down her husband's forehead. They were so busy facing off that neither noticed Hinata's red eyes and nose when she entered quietly.

"A-ano. C-can I be of h-help?"

Kaoru sighed. "Do what you can. I've got to go into town and buy more meat and a set of knives. Shiribi, you gather the boys to hunt down as many of the lost knives as they can find. The resort's going to be angry if we lose their entire stock of kitchen cutlery in one go."

And then Hinata was alone. She eyed the vegetable-crowded kitchen and thought of the girls that had surrounded Shino in the village. A stalk of celery leaning against a crown of broccoli, for some reason, reminded her of the girl that had draped herself all over her important teammate. Hinata formed a blade of chakra with her right hand and beheaded the fluffy top right off of the celery. She tossed a tomato into the air and chopped it into neat slices before it dropped into a waiting bowl. The carrots never stood a chance.

Fifteen minutes later, Hinata ran out of things to cut. She couldn't justify making the potato chunks any smaller. She had even produced several fruit platters covered with _tiny_ morsels. With a sigh, she began throwing things into a pot to start the vegetable stew. Then she tossed the roasts into the industrial sized ovens with a selection of vegetables. Her small, quick hands were turning out the last of hundreds of dumplings when Kaoru returned. Hinata added the last batch onto one of the steaming towers.

Shinomaru's mother blinked in astonishment. She looked around the kitchen at the bubbling stew, the roasts glowing in the enormous ovens, and the huge bowls of salad. They'd been at least an hour behind schedule, and now they were way ahead of schedule. She subtly glanced down at her watch. The walk to the village took twenty minutes. Buying chicken and knives took another twenty. The walk back was twenty minutes. What had happened? Ah, maybe the boys pulled through and found the knives quickly. Even so…

"Kaoru-san," Hinata began in a subdued voice. "What's next? I could prepare a pudding, or some red bean rice cakes, or a fruit tart?"

"Custard fruit tarts sound good. I'll start the custard if you'll make the pastry?"

Hinata nodded, and the two worked in companionable silence for a time. Kaoru occasionally glanced over at the Hyuuga girl. She was normally shy, but this quiet pain wasn't shyness. Something was bothering the girl.

"Ano, Hinata-chan, I know it's not my place, but if something is bothering you, please know that you can talk to me."

"A-arigatoo, Kaoru-san."

"Family trouble?" Kaoru began almost innocently.

"Mm-mm," Hinata shook her head. "That's actually been much better than ever."

"The kunoichi's back in the village? A rivalry, perhaps? Is someone being catty toward you back home?"

Hinata actually smiled before shaking her head. "Chigaimasu. That's not it. Sakura-chan, Ino-chan, Tenten-chan, they've all been very kind and supportive of me." Hinata thought back to the shopping trip when Ino-chan had helped her find some casual clothing to add to her stark wardrobe. She thought of her collaboration with Sakura-chan as they studied poisons and antidotes together under Tsunade's tutelage. And Tenten. The weapons mistress and the Hyuuga heiress had gone off to watch a movie and eat ice cream—and talk about a certain formal, aloof, wonderful Hyuuga prodigy that they both loved in their own ways.

"Not the girls?" She paused and slipped in as a calculated afterthought, "Boys?"

Hinata's cheeks blushed pink and she bit her lower lip.

_Bingo_, Kaoru thought, though that had been her initial guess all along. She'd just wanted the girl to open up a little first.

"Are a couple of boys not taking the hint? Keep pestering you for a date? Won't leave you alone?" she joked.

Hinata shyly smiled and shook her head. "I don't have those sorts of problems."

Kaoru winced inwardly. It seemed Hinata wasn't used to receiving romantic attention. She hadn't meant to highlight a lack of dates or for the girl to feel like she was undesirable.

"Maybe someone you've got your heart set on?" she asked gently.

Hinata stilled with her gaze fixed on the countertop. Kaoru waited patiently as Hinata seemed to consider the question. The younger girl picked up a leftover piece of pastry and absentmindedly shaped it into a blooming flower. Then she selected another piece and rolled it into an oblong shape. She fidgeted with it for almost a full minute before biting her lip and beginning in a tiny voice, "I-I just wish-"

"We're here!" shouted a cacophony of voices. Kaoru groaned silently as her in-laws trooped into the kitchen.

"We finally got away from Zuruiko-baachan," Karika explained. "We were just coming to help with dinner when she cornered us with all sorts of weird questions. So now we're here to rescue you poor, overworked…" She did a double-take at the almost complete dinner that lay on every available surface.

"Hinata picked up the slack," was all the explanation Kaoru offered. She was disappointed that her talk with Hinata had been interrupted. The young girl had been about to say something important but had fallen silent and was now devoting her attention to her little art pastry project.

Minutes later, the Aburame boys that had been roped into searching for the lost knives trooped in with their salvage. Shino and Shibiki deposited armfuls of dirty knives into the sink. Their aunts were already scrubbing. Shino washed off his hands before going to stand next to Hinata.

"Hinata," he murmured over her shoulder, "what are you making?" He subtly inhaled the scent of lilac from her hair and wished he could run his fingers through those silken strands.

"Nothing in particular," she shrugged before leaning her pastry kikai bug onto the flower.

"Don't let her fool you. Hinata just prepared the whole family meal by herself," Kaoru pointed out.

"By yourself?" Shino frowned. "Hinata, I would have helped you if I'd known you had to do it all by yourself. You should have said something. It's not fair if you take on all the work." Hinata seemed tense, and he longed to cover her slender shoulders with his palms and massage the tension away, as his father often did for his mother.

Hinata shrugged dismissively. "I'm used to cooking for a lot of people, so I didn't mind. And I wasn't alone. Kaoru-san did a lot."

"Not really, but thanks for saying so," Kaoru grinned.

Hinata fidgeted a bit. It seemed to her that Shino was studying her carefully. Was he comparing her to the girls from the village? Was he…disappointed he hadn't been paired with a prettier, more confident girl?

"Hey! We rushed around finding all of those knives because Uncle Shiribi said we weren't going to eat if we didn't." Shibiki crossed his arms over his chest and glared at his uncle. "You just made that up to get us to help you."

"I was led to believe the situation was very dire," Shiribi defended.

Unable to shake the overwhelming feeling of nervousness, Hinata unconsciously slipped back into ninja cook mode. She scooted away from Shino's penetrating gaze and pulled out the roasts from the oven. Her hands flew in deadly arcs as they sliced the sizzling hunks of meat into perfect, narrow slices. Then she was out the door with two enormous trays and not a backward glance.

"Shiribi."

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"YOU'VE BEEN HOLDING OUT ON ME! WHY DIDN'T YOU EVER TELL ME NINJA CAN COOK! YOU AND THE BOYS CAN MAKE DINNER BY YOURSELVES TOMORROW!"

OOOOO

Neji carefully studied the parchment in front of him. It was very important to decipher each line carefully. He shuddered to think of the disaster that awaited him if he made a single mistake. Sakura, as Tsunade's apprentice, would be much better suited to this mission. She studied poisons, antidotes, and herbs. The competent young woman knew the subtleties of chemicals. Even though he was known as the Genius of the Hyuuga Clan, his expertise lay in other disciplines.

With a slow exhalation, he tipped the mixture into the mixing bowl. He frowned as the dark brown merged unevenly with the yellow. He squinted at the next set of instructions, but he knew he had to get it right.

"Ahem." A little feminine cough interrupted his concentration, and Neji glared up at the intruder.

"What are you doing here?" she asked carefully.

He mumbled incoherently. Her elegant eyebrows rose in surprise. Neji _never_ mumbled incoherently.

"Sorry, didn't catch that," she shot back, rocking smugly on her heels.

"I'm just making something."

"Oh? What for? Or rather, _who_ is it for?"

"Just…someone..." he trailed off. "Go away, Hanabi-sama."

Hanabi innocently placed her hands behind her back and rocked on her heels. She made a zipping motion against her lips but didn't move to leave.

Neji sighed and continued his work. He worked diligently and tried to ignore the fact that his bratty little cousin was watching his every move. When he finally judged that his handiwork was fully mixed, he stood back with a sigh and went to turn on the oven.

Hanabi frowned worriedly. She'd meant to heckle her cousin into spilling the identity of his secret crush, but now…

"Neji-niisan, seriously, who are you making this for? Is it for your teammate, Lee? The one that keeps trying to talk you into letting him give you a piggyback ride as part of training? Are you trying to poison him?"

Neji gaped at her in bewilderment.

"Your sensei? That guy that's always making you do the team huddle? Seriously, though, there are much more efficient non-lethal poisons you could be using."

"It's…for the girl that I like," he admitted with a heated blush. He dropped his gaze and shifted uncomfortably.

_Aw! He looks so sweet when he blushes!_ Hanabi thought for a moment. Then her sharp mind snapped her back to the matter at hand, or rather, the _batter_ at hand.

"Wait, you want to give that to your _girlfriend_?"

Neji's blush deepened. "She's not my girlfriend." he murmured.

"If you feed her _that_, she's not even going to be _breathing_ anymore. Just what are you trying to make?"

"I'm making chocolate-chip cookies," the Hyuuga prodigy returned defensively. "And they're fine!"

"Oh hell no!" Hanabi elbowed him out of the way and pulled out a large mixing bowl.

Her cousin frowned. "Hanabi-sama, I appreciate that you want to help, but I was doing just fine on my own."

Hanabi turned a baleful eye on him and lifted a small cardboard box and a measuring cup. "Neji-niisan, you put in a whole cup of baking soda."

"I followed the directions exactly."

"A _whole cup_ of baking soda. Unless you're making a batch big enough to feed your girlfriend for the rest of her life, you are seriously going to make her sick."

"It's says 'one cup' right here!" he pointed out, showing her the line on the recipe.

"One _teaspoon_," Hanabi corrected.

"It doesn't say teaspoon."

"No, but it also doesn't say 'cup.'"

"It says 'cup' right above."

"That's because it's talking about the sugar."

"Well, how is anyone supposed to know it doesn't mean one cup," he huffed.

"It's a recipe from Chouji-san's mother, so it's not from a book. Besides, anyone who cooks knows not to put a whole cup of baking soda into anything, unless maybe you're trying to clean out the drain in your tub." Hanabi held up the small orange plastic teaspoon and the glass measuring cup side by side.

Neji blanched at the thought of how badly his cookies would have turned out.

"So," Hanabi continued, nonplussed, "you going to let me help you or not?"

"Yes, please," Neji nodded humbly.

'Ha ha!" Hanabi crowed. "Step back, genius, and let the Cookie Master show you how it's done!"

OOOOO

Eventually, after much assurance from Shino that Hinata was special and that the majority of shinobi _couldn't_ actually slice up a roast with their bare hands, Kaoru relented and forgave her husband for the perceived slight.

Shino kept an eye on his fidgety teammate as she bustled in and out of the kitchen. She seemed nervous. He wondered if his Great Aunt had said anything to make her uncomfortable. He stepped behind her as she arranged a few bowls on the table. The rest of his family members were either in the kitchen or doing their own things.

"Hinata, is something bothering you?" He gently covered her shoulders with his hands and squeezed. It always seemed to work when his father used that move on his mother. He shushed the little voice that accused him of trying to find any excuse to touch his pretty teammate. As her teammate, it was only right for him to support and comfort her. That's what he told himself, anyway.

Hinata caught fire beneath him, her skin igniting and warming his fingertips even through her jacket. She said nothing and briefly felt her own body sway. His hands were so big, and they felt so strong. Vaguely, she tried to remember to breathe. He was so close…

Shino frowned in concentration. His thoughts briefly flashed back to the advice his brother had given him as they searched for the lost kitchen paraphernalia, one of the reasons they'd taken so long. His older brother was worried that the younger Aburame didn't know how to talk to girls. Generally, his brother advised complimenting them.

"Hinata, you look very nice today," he whispered softly.

Hinata whipped around in shock. Had her quiet teammate really said such a thing, or was she imagining things? She looked up into his face and swayed dangerously under his intense gaze. A tiny squeak escaped her lips.

Shino frowned. Hinata's face was terribly red and he leaned in a bit closer when he noticed her eyes were a bit glazed. Perhaps she was feeling unwell?

Hinata stared like a cornered doe. Still, taut, and thrumming with a strange energy, she watched as Shino's face neared hers.

"Perhaps you used too much chakra?" he wondered in a surprisingly husky whisper. His warm breath ghosted over her lips and Hinata fainted dead away.

OOOOO

Shino laid a cool wet cloth over Hinata's forehead and supported her in his arms. The family members that weren't cooking were enjoying the late afternoon by chatting in the gardens. Hinata lay propped against his side in the family room when his mother waddled in.

"Shino, what happened to Hinata?" she exclaimed worriedly. "Is she ill?"

"She'll be fine in a few minutes. She just fainted."

"I didn't know she had such a delicate constitution. I suppose she is very pale."

Shino shook his head. "Physically, Hinata is very strong. She just gets embarrassed easily. Sometimes when that happens, she faints. It's really nothing to worry about."

"Oh. What made her so embarrassed?"

Shino shrugged. He hadn't thought his little compliment would make her faint, but he should have known better. Hinata never received compliments at home, so surely a direct compliment on her appearance would take her by surprise. He silently thanked Shibiki. From now on, Shino resolved, he and Kiba would make sure to compliment Hinata often to help increase her self-confidence.

**Author's Notes:**

**I really thought Shino might get the hint, but then he didn't. **

**Sorry to end it right there, but I wanted to post the chapter and it just kept getting longer and longer. **

**Heh heh. Yes, it was a bad pun. **


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden. Technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without regard to Shippuuden. The Konoha 11 are now 16ish, but I wouldn't call this AU, so I'll call it OS (for Outside of Shippuuden).**

**Reviews make my day and inspire me to write!**

OOOOO

Chapter 13

OOOOO

Hinata recovered quickly but didn't get up right away. It was so warm wherever she was. Was she in bed? She moved her hand over the material beneath her. A gentle hum under her fingertips alerted her to the presence of the kikaichuu. Kikaichuu? Was she on a mission? The material beneath her face smelled like Shino, but she couldn't detect the heavier musks of Kiba and Akamaru. Her heavy lids blinked open unwillingly. Gray. Gray fabric.

"Are you feeling better, Hinata?" Shino asked solicitously.

Hinata's face burned hot, but she was able to control the urge to shiver when she looked up to meet her teammate's eyes.

"Shino-kun…"

"Nothing hurts, right?"

"H-Hai. I-I'm f-fine."

Shino nodded his approval. He didn't move to push her away now that she was awake. Instead, he let her continue to lean against him. It was okay because they were teammates, and it was only right to support your teammate. If he happened to enjoy the closeness of his particular teammate, then that was just a bonus. He wasn't doing anything wrong. Really, it wasn't wrong at all.

Hinata watched Shino's face as a host of emotions passed over it.

"Sh-Shino-kun? Are you mad at me?"

Shino shook himself away from his musings and concentrated on what she'd said. "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

"W-Well, you were f-frowning all of a sudden…"

"I'm not angry at all. I was simply thinking."

"Th-Thinking? About what?"

He shook his head. How could he explain that he'd been thinking about her?

"Idle thoughts. Nothing you should concern yourself about."

Hinata looked startled for a moment, but she soon began to giggle. "Shino-kun, you're not really prone to idle thoughts."

Shino smiled. When Hinata giggled, it was the loveliest sound, nothing at all like the vapid noises made by the girls in the village. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

Feeling more comfortable again, Hinata nodded. Despite her moment of panic, she'd always felt the most comfortable with Shino. In an uncharacteristic show of courage, she leaned toward him and let her temple rest against his shoulder; it wasn't the unconscious draping of before, but a simple and innocent closeness.

Shino swallowed hard. Hinata's warmth against his side made him want to pull her slender frame into his arms. He wanted to…he wanted to…

"Hinata? Where'd you go?" Karime called as she came down the hallway. "It's time for dinner. Oh! Um…sorry to interrupt. Uh, dinner's ready. Well, um, of course you'd know that since you made it, but we've gathered the troops and all."

"Arigatoo, Karime-san. I'm sorry you had to come all this way just to tell us."

"Hinata, are you feeling quite recovered now?" Shino asked again.

"H-Hai, Shino-kun. I'm fine now," Hinata answered, though her cheeks were a bit pink. _I wonder what Karime-san thought we were doing…_

OOOOO

"Shinomaru, where did you go?" Taro asked sullenly. Even though he'd teased his cousin, Shinomaru was one of his only playmates. He'd had to play dolls with his two Ishitaka cousins. He hated playing dolls because they always made him play the boy character that went on dates with the girls.

"I was training," the little boy explained solemnly.

Taro was jealous. It wasn't fair that Shinomaru already had his kikaichuu hive. The boy was a whole year younger than he was!

"What did you do? Kicking the post? I practice that all the time with father," Taro preened.

Shinomaru grinned. "Hinata-neesan is training me to-"

"Who's Hinata-neesan? You don't have a sister," Taro interrupted.

"She's Shino-niisan's friend and teammate," Shinomaru explained. He was used to Taro interrupting him.

"I've never seen her."

"There she is! Right there! She and Shino-niisan are going in to dinner." Shinomaru pointed excitedly at the pair walking together along a covered walkway to the large dining room.

"The weird-looking servant girl?"

Shinomaru froze, almost stricken. "Hinata-neesan is not a weird-looking servant girl."

"Well, I guess she's not a servant girl if she doesn't work here, but she's still weird-looking."

"No, she's not! Hinata-neesan is beautiful!"

Taro, finally having found something to rile up his normally calm cousin, went for the kill. "She's not just ugly and weird-looking. She looks pretty _stupid_, too."

"Take that back!" Shinomaru growled before launching himself at the slightly taller boy.

OOOOO

Shoromaru found the boys first. With three sons, he was well-versed in the splitting up of boys' fights. He yanked up each boy by the collar and held them apart. With a stern look from him, they both settled down immediately.

"What is going on?" he demanded in an even tone.

Neither boy said anything. Shoromaru waited.

Finally, Taro was the first to speak. "Shinomaru and I were just playing," he muttered.

Shoromaru raised a brow at that explanation, taking in Shinomaru's split lip and gashed forehead and Taro's two black eyes and bleeding nose.

"Then this is settled?"

The two little boys nodded and silently walked inside.

OOOOO

Shinomaru gulped and waited with a heavy heart as his mother scolded him for getting into a fight with Taro. He almost bit his lip to keep from yelping when the sting of the antiseptic burned his forehead, but he remembered in time that his lip had the worst injury.

Across the room, Taro's mother was giving him the same scolding and wailing about his ruined looks. Oddly enough, Taro didn't seem bothered at all that his face wasn't as pretty as it usually was. He seemed almost proud to have been in a real fight. As his mother fussed and fretted, he looked up and gave Shinomaru a wide grin.

Shinomaru sighed. Taro was a strange boy. Sometimes he wondered if Taro antagonized him just for the heck of it. Usually Shinomaru never reacted to his jibes, but this made twice in a short period. But why? Why was Taro so determined to…to…? He didn't even know what his slightly older cousin was trying to do.

OOOOO

Hinata's eyes popped wide as she took in the enormous bandage on Shinomaru's forehead and the nasty gash on his lip when he crept into the dining room.

"Shinomaru-kun!" She hurried over to him and knelt down before him. "What happened?"

"He got into a fight with his cousin," Kaoru explained in a clipped tone. "Shinomaru, go and wash your hands for dinner."

Hinata followed Shinomaru into the kitchen and watched as he climbed the children's stepladder and washed his hands in the sink beside Shibiki, who raised a curious eyebrow at the sight of him.

"Shinomaru-kun, what were you and your cousin fighting about?" Hinata began gently.

Shinomaru gave a tiny shrug. He didn't want to tell Hinata-neesan the bad things Taro had said about her. "We…didn't agree."

"Did you work things out?"

Again, Shinomaru shrugged.

"It's sad when family members fight…"

Shinomaru hung his head. Was Hinata-neesan disappointed in him the way his mother was?

"It's always better to work things out by talking," she continued. She picked him up and sat him on the countertop. Shinomaru felt like crying and didn't look up even when he felt Hinata-neesan's gentle fingers on his aching lip. "But, sometimes, a person just has to stand up and fight for what they believe in, ne?"

Shinomaru looked up at her in startled wonder, and he nodded slowly. She _did_ understand.

"It's still good to talk things out after a fight, though, so you should talk to him about the way you feel. Okay?"

"Yes, Hinata-neesan."

Hinata smiled down at him kindly and softly pressed her lips against the comically large bandage on his forehead. She let her lips linger there for a few moments. The she carefully tugged it away to reveal smooth, unblemished skin.

Shinomaru blinked and reached up to feel his unmarked forehead. His lip wasn't hurting either!

"Does it still hurt?" Hinata asked solicitously.

Shinomaru started to shake his head, but then he remembered the big bruise on his left knee. He hesitated, though. Would he seem like a baby if he asked Hinata-neesan to heal it? But he wanted to watch her heal it! She was such a skilled shinobi.

Hinata followed the movement of his eyes and guessed his thought process. As a Hyuuga, she was trained to read emotions.

"The left one?"

He nodded and tugged up his pant leg. Hinata gathered green healing chakra into her palm and applied it to his small knee. Shinomaru watched in fascination as the purplish blue splotch slowly disappeared and his knee returned to its normal color.

"Hinata-neesan, arigatoo. Do you think…?"

"What is it, Shinomaru-kun?"

"Do you think I could learn to do that? One day?"

"Definitely," she nodded decisively. Hinata's heart warmed at the sight of Shinomaru's enormous smile.

Shibiki grinned at the two and slipped out of the kitchen.

OOOOO

He should have been prepared. He should have been careful. He should have taken precautions. Shino stared at the look of single-minded determination on Great Aunt Zuruiko's face and knew this dinner was going to be the worst of his life. She was going to embarrass him in front of Hinata. He just knew it. How had they been seated across from her, anyway? They'd sat down at a completely empty section of the long table, and she'd suddenly appeared. What was the old woman's plan?

Great Aunt Zuruiko was suspiciously calm and reasonable for much of dinner. It wasn't until the main course that she launched her assault.

"So, Hinata-chan," she began in a conspiratorial but very voluble manner. "I hear you have a thing for this Neji from Konoha."

The shinobi in hearing range, as well as their civilian significant others, paused and looked over to see the innuendo…fly over innocent Hinata's head, smack into the wall behind her, and lie twitching on the floor.

"A thing?" Hinata wondered absentmindedly, still thinking about Shinomaru's fight with his little friend. "I never really considered it. Should I bring home some omiyage? I don't usually buy souvenirs from my missions, but this _is_ sort of a resort area…. Shino-kun, what do you think?"

"I don't think Neji expects you to buy him a souvenir," he answered smoothly, somewhat relieved that Hinata missed Great Aunt Zuruiko's implication.

The civilians, comprised mainly of Shino's aunts, inwardly worried about this "Neji" person. The rest of the shinobi wracked their brains trying to remember who Neji was. Many had heard the name in passing. One of the new jonins, wasn't he? Shibi, one of the few in the know, cringed inwardly at how his Aunt had just about accused Hinata of incest. Luckily, that faux pas passed by without a remark.

Great Aunt Zuruiko, never one to be discouraged, soldiered on. "The local gossip says that this Akamaru fellow is pretty big."

"Oh, yes," Hinata nodded with a proud smile. "He's _huge_. Sometimes he even lets me ride him, though I really have to hold on tight to make sure I don't fall off."

Shibiki sputtered around an accidentally inhaled dumpling and fought to breathe while the rest of the table (who didn't know that Akamaru was an enormous nin-dog) gaped in astonishment to hear shy little Hinata say something so…so…

"He _looks_ really wild and tough. Well, actually he _is_ really wild and tough, but inside he's also a gentle sweetheart."

"Oh…" Great Aunt Zuruiko answered, momentarily taken aback. "What about Shino?" Maybe her somber grand-nephew would just have to look elsewhere for a girlfriend. It seemed that Hinata had her plate full.

"Oh, he doesn't really like to ride Akamaru, though he'll let him lick him sometimes."

Shino recognized that he felt extremely embarrassed, but he was no longer sure why. Was it the horror on his aunts' faces? Was it the suspiciously speculative look on Zuruiko-baasan's face? Was it the possibility that Hinata's impenetrable shield of innocence would crack?

Shibiki came to the rescue. "Um, Hinata, would you like some help carrying out the dessert?"

"Oh, that's very kind of you, Shibiki-kun! Yes, please." The two disappeared into the kitchen.

Shino took a deep breath. "Zuruiko-baasan, I appreciate your efforts, but…this is really unnecessary."

He felt like bashing his head against a wall when she reached across the table to pat his arm and said in a supportive voice, "Don't worry Shino. We'll all love you even if you like boys."

"Chigau. That is definitely not it."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," she assured him kindly.

"While I appreciate the sentiment, I am very much attracted to girls, thank you very much."

"Well, but this Akamaru…" she trailed off.

"Akamaru is a 450 pound nin-dog," Shino informed blandly. His aunts breathed a collective sigh of sudden understanding.

"Hm…I'm not actually sure that's better than liking boys…" Zuruiko returned with a concerned look.

Perhaps he could convince Hinata to run away with him to Suna. Surely the new Kazekage was looking for a few good shinobi…

"Anyway, I'm sorry that Hinata isn't interested in you, Shino."

Then again, there was always death. Did she really have to say that just now?

"She seems very fond of this 'Neji.'"

"Neji is Hinata's first cousin. Their fathers were twins. They could not be more related by blood than if he were actually her brother. He looks just like her father. Hinata refers to him as -niisan."

"Well, you never know with cousins. Sometimes old families don't really care about that sort of thing."

"…" Shino was at a loss.

"But if you think you might have a chance, I'll keep at her, rest assured," his Great Aunt avowed.

Stricken, Shino leaped up to…

Hinata and Shibiki came in balancing a number of tarts and passed them around the long table. Shino looked at Hinata's curious face and slowly sat back down.

Zuruiko-baasan started up again. "I hear there are lots of eligible young bachelors in Konoha, Hinata."

"Huh?" Hinata was caught by surprise. Why was Shino's Great Aunt asking her such a thing? "Oh, um, hai. Are you trying to arrange a marriage for one of your granddaughters?" Hinata asked politely.

"Hm. I'm not certain. Anyone I should steer clear of? Any particularly tasty specimens?"

Shino groaned inwardly. The end of the torture was nowhere in sight. Perhaps he could fake a sudden stomach pain and draw Hinata away before any _more_ damage was done.

"What age is your granddaughter?" Hinata inquired politely, trying to surreptitiously look down the table and see if she could spot any candidates.

"Oh, no particular age. I've got plenty, you see." _If you've got your eyes set on an older man_, feel free, she thought magnanimously.

"Oh." That made narrowing things down much more difficult. "Um…"

"Anyone that might make a good husband?"

"Uh…" By this time, Hinata felt a bit cornered. "Uh…Um…Iruka-sensei? He's kind and patient. He's also very level-headed."

"Hm-hm," Great Aunt Zuruiko nodded. "Anyone else?"

"Um…Genma-san? Ino-chan thinks he's handsome."

_Really?_ Shino mused. Then he caught himself.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Anyone closer to your age?"

"Not that I know of. Most of them are s-spoken for, or they wouldn't be interested in an arranged marriage."

Hinata took a dainty bite of her dessert and smiled. The strawberries, mandarin oranges, and kiwis were perfect.

"Wh-" Zuruiko baasan attempted, but Shibiki deftly cut her off by exclaiming, "Why don't we play a family game after dinner? We haven't done that at all this year. It's tradition!"

The excited chatter took over and everyone moved into the family room.

OOOOO

**Author's Notes:**

**1) I've noticed my chapters are getting longer and longer. I'm starting to feel like I've got to put in a certain amount of stuff before it can be posted. Sorry for the wait!**

**2) Any ideas for family games?**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden. Technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without regard to Shippuuden. The Konoha 11 are now 16ish, but I wouldn't call this AU, so I'll call it OS (for Outside of Shippuuden).**

**Thanks and love to my wonderful reviewers! I'd make you all cookies, but then I'd have to shove them into the cd slot. **

OOOOO

Chapter 14

OOOOO

Everyone filed into the enormous family room and settled amongst the cushions. Most of the older generation and the little ones went off to bed. Kaoru and Shinomaru waved good night because it was her turn to watch the kids. Shino and Shibiki sat down on a couch, and Hinata slid in beside her teammate.

"What should we start with?" Kinako mused.

"How about I Spy?" Karika suggested. "My sisters and I loved playing that game when we were little."

"Oh! Hanabi likes that game. She can sit still for _hours_ trying to figure out how to break the seals on Neji-niisan's room."

"Chotto chigau, Hinata," Shino explained. "It's not quite like that. It's not actual spying."

"Oops," Hinata grinned sheepishly. "Oh! Is it like the game that Iruka-sensei taught us where you each select a piece of paper? And the one with the star is the spy and everyone has to figure out who the spy is?"

"No," he shook his head in amusement. "It's actually very simply. A chosen person looks around the room and picks an object. The rest of the people have to figure out what the object is based on one clue."

"You don't hide it?" Hinata puzzled. "It just stays there? In plain sight?"

"Yes."

Hinata still had a puzzled frown on her face, and Shino thought it was one of the most adorable things he'd ever seen. Unfortunately, he had the strong urge to make it go away by smoothing it away with his fingertips, or his lips, which would not be a good thing to do. He needed to snap out of it.

"Karika-basan-" he began.

"Shiiiinooo…." Karika interrupted with a dangerous glint in her eyes. "What did I tell you?"

"About what?" Shino asked innocently. Too innocently.

"You _know_ what."

The two commenced a brutal staring contest. Unfortunately for Karika, it was impossible to outstare an Aburame. They could be fluttering their eyelashes at you and you wouldn't know the difference—not that Aburame men ever did things like that. Her eyes watered and she blinked hard to soothe them. She sent him another glare, though.

Hinata watched the byplay with a worried expression on her face. Did Shino get into an argument with his aunt? Sori, Karika's husband, also frowned in confusion.

Finally, after a full minute of being glared at, Shino sighed and gave in. "Alright, if it makes you happy. Karika-ch…Karika-ch…Karika_-neesan_, why don't you go first and give a demonstration?"

"Neesan is better than basan," Karika grumbled darkly. "I'm only six years older than you, hardly old enough to be an aunt to a teenage boy." As if a switch had been turned on, she brightened with a wide smile and turned this was and that to study the room.

Hinata covered her mouth with her hands and couldn't hide the little giggle that needed to escape. Perhaps it was the release of tension after thinking a real confrontation was underway. Perhaps it was the sight of solemn Shino being scolded like a little boy.

"Hinata, it is unkind to laugh at your teammate," Shino deadpanned down at her.

That pushed her right over the edge. Her tiny giggle became that wonderful laugh that he rarely heard and secretly loved. Hinata blushed cherry red. She knew all of Shino's relatives were watching, but she couldn't stop. To hide herself and calm her fit of giggles she suddenly dove forward and buried her face against her teammate's arm, clutching the fabric of his jacket in her fight to control herself.

"G-G-Gomen, Shino-kun," she murmured against his bicep.

"I forgive you," Shino said with mock-seriousness, although it probably sounded like regular seriousness to everyone else. It didn't matter. He could feel her smiling even through his coat.

All of the women in the room shared an "awwwww…" look at the sweet closeness of those two, and had to hide it quickly when Hinata's pink face popped out of hiding.

"Okay," Karika began, rubbing her hands in her excitement, "I spy something that starts with the letter k."

"Kikaichuu!" Hinata said eagerly.

Karika shook her head.

"Karime?" her sister guessed. When that wasn't correct she asked, "Me?"

Again Karika shook her head. Her husband leaned over and asked, "That ceramic kitten over there on the display shelf."

"How did you guess?!"

"I know you. What's my prize?"

"I'll give it to you later," she whispered huskily but leaned over to give him a kiss.

Hinata turned back to bright red and looked away as if suddenly fascinated by a book on the table. Shino, on the other hand, was used to the amorous ways of his older cousins and their wives. He'd thought they would have settled down by now, but he couldn't blame them. If he and Hinata were married, he… Shino actually shook his head violently to clear out that unbidden thought. He _had_ to stop that. It was no good nurturing impossible hopes. For someone who was so controlled, Shino found it difficult to stop thinking about Hinata when she was by his side, her thigh just brushing against his own.

Genbo, who'd been watching the proceedings from the corner, grinned lecherously at the clearly disturbed youngest Aburame. "I spy something…_long_ and _hard_."

Shibi turned a cold glare on his errant distant relative. Kinako merely gave an amused chuckle. Hinata had really gotten into the game by this time, however, and she looked around the room with determination.

"Eeh too…just let me think…the table leg?"

Genbo shook his head and tsked. "You've got to do better than that." He stared meaningfully at a certain place on the couch. From the corner of the room, he couldn't actually see the body of the couch, so he was just looking in its general direction. Hinata followed his gaze and realized that he was looking at the space between Shino and herself.

Shino added his stony glare to his father's. Shibiki, on the other hand, was trying not to laugh himself off of the couch.

"OH!" Hinata exclaimed. She proudly whipped out a kunai from her weapon's pouch. "Was it this?"

Genbo merely shook his head.

"These?" Hinata held up a few senbon.

Genbo shook his head once more.

Hinata pulled out a shuriken. She frowned as she thought aloud, "These aren't long, even though they are hard." Then her face brightened and she pulled out one of the huge windmill shuriken. "This one?"

Slightly startled, Genbo merely said, "Uh, no."

Hinata pulled out a simple machete. "This?"

"No," he answered weakly.

"These?" she grinned as she pulled out two full-length katanas and held them up proudly for his perusal.

Genbo froze and then _very carefully_ shook his head.

"Where do you even store those?" Shibiki wondered in awe. One minute, she'd been sitting on the couch. The next minute she was pulling deadly weapons out of nowhere. She had a jacket that covered her well, but it surely wasn't large enough to hide katanas.

"I've been training with Tenten-chan a bit. She's given me a number of tips on storing weapons," Hinata replied simply. She sighed sadly. "I can't figure it out."

"It's alright. It was stupid, anyway," Shino reassured her.

"Oh…you mean you figured it out, Shino-kun?" Hinata asked hopefully.

Shino remained silent.

"You should guess then," Hinata prompted him encouragingly.

Shino shook his head. Hinata gave him a worried expression, so he tried to redirect everyone's attention.

"We should play a more interactive game," he suggested.

"Hinata, what kinds of games does your family play?"

"Hanabi likes to play pranks, but that's not really a group game. We don't really tend to play games, although Hanabi, Neji-niisan, and I have tried to play hide-and-seek a number of times."

"How did that work?" Shibi wondered curiously.

"It didn't work when the Byakugan was allowed. Hanabi and I would have to be halfway to Suna to get out of Neji-niisan's range," Hinata chuckled. "Sometimes we do that just to help with his training, so I suppose it actually works alright. The first time we tried it without the Byakugan allowed, there was some miscommunication about who was 'it.' We ended up waiting in hiding for three hours and then all coming out at the same time."

"Well, hide-and-seek won't really work with this group. The shinobi would have an unfair advantage," Karime explained, lightly poking her husband in the side with a mischievous smile.

Soru captured her hands, pulled her against him, and smirked, "Don't forget that an Aburame can track his woman _anywhere_."

"Hinata," Karika began innocently, "even if you don't play many games with your family, are there any games that you play with your _teammates_?"

One of Shino's brushstroke eyebrows quirked upwards.

"Hmm…sometimes we play fetch and catch with Akamaru. Umm. Oh! Sometimes Shino and I play little games, but I'm not sure any of those would be good for this sort of situation," she shrugged sheepishly.

That had everyone's interest piqued, but Hinata just shyly shook her head even as Shino's relatives pleaded and badgered.

"Aw, come on. We want to know what games you play," Karika prodded with a knowing grin.

"Yeah, Shino," Shibiki grinned. "What kind of _games_ do you play?"

Shino shrugged. "Sometimes we play 361."

"What's that?" his mother wondered.

"It is a game that is also a form of training. All of our games are forms of training." His father nodded approvingly.

"Show us!" Karika clapped.

Hinata blushed and looked up at Shino expectantly.

"It is up to you, Hinata."

"Um…it probably won't be very interesting to watch…"

Shino's relatives assured Hinata that they really wanted to see it, and Hinata was never good at saying "no."

Hinata reached up and tugged at the zipper of her jacket. Shino resisted the urge to look down. Well, that's what sunglasses were good for, but he was a gentleman at heart. She pulled off the jacket and revealed her simple, fitted black tank top. He'd actually forgotten about that. At least she wouldn't be wearing her little black shorts. Or her bathing suit. He wouldn't be able to handle either of _those_ with his family scrutinizing him the way they were. Hinata had a very interesting collection of bathing suits. She'd gone on a bit of a shopping spree a number of years back—something about needing to be prepared for water training. It was one of the few types of clothing that she actually selected with care, and they were all very…pretty. Hinata always looked cute in her bathing suits, and she always laughed adorably whenever one of her teammates, namely Kiba and Akamaru, splashed her with water. Shino realized he'd been fantasizing again and snapped back to attention.

Hinata was sitting cross-legged on the wooden floor and looking up at him expectantly. He stood and moved to a spot several feet in front of her. They faced each other calmly, and Shino hoped the light heat in his cheeks wasn't visible to anyone.

The various Aburames waited patiently as Hinata closed her eyes, adopted a meditative stance, and evened out her breathing. Shino waited patiently until she nodded once. He opened a particular tenketsu on his face and called out, "One." The tiny bug flew across the space and landed on Hinata's left cheek where a pinprick of chakra light glowed. "Two. Three." Hinata had a triangle of kikaichuu on her left cheek.

Shino's relatives stared in shock as Shino quickly increased the count. Kikaichuu exited from different places on his body, and soon Hinata was covered in a latticework of small black bugs.

"Three hundred sixty-one," Shino finished softly. He kept time silently and studied the look of concentration on Hinata's face. This was the difficult part. It took precision chakra control to emit very low level chakra from each tenketsu simultaneously. His family members were completely silent. The first bug flew back, and Shino noted 7 minutes and 47 seconds. Several bugs flew out from the collar and hem of Hinata's top and the cuff of her pants until a swarm of the bugs rushed back to their host, who calmly called them back up his sleeves.

"That was good, Hinata," Shino nodded. "7 minutes and 47 seconds. That's more than a minute longer than last time."

"It's been getting easier with practice," she smiled.

"I think I messed up on 145 through 192 and 237 through 259. Those are still difficult for me to discern between."

"That's also better than last time," Hinata reminded him encouragingly.

Shino simply nodded and waited. No one spoke.

"Uh…well…that was very…I had no idea…" Kinako trailed off.

Shibiki was lost in thought. At several points during the demonstration he'd been tempted to look away. Even if those two called it training, to release a bug from a particular part of your body and place it on the matching part of a woman's body seemed…strangely intimate, especially since the 361 tenketsu covered _every_ section of the body. Unbeknownst to him, he and his father were having similar thoughts.

"Shino, how do you know about the individual tenketsu?" Shibi inquired. "I thought only the Hyuugas could see those."

Shibi shifted to face Hinata when she answered instead. "We had to create a map because there is no numbering system that we know of. Since the bugs exit through the tenketsu, Shino was already somewhat familiar with the general placement of tenketsu. It was just a matter of creating the map and pointing out which was which."

_Pointing out? _Shibiki wondered. Did that mean…Hinata had to _physically_ point to every tenketsu on Shino's body? His eyebrows rose up and up.

Shibi, a master on par with Hiashi when it came to hiding his thoughts, merely nodded. "That seems like very effective training. Shino, I had noticed your chakra control has increased drastically. Perhaps this training was part of that."

"Part of it," Shino agreed. "This exercise mainly helps Hinata practice her fine control and helps me learn the tenketsu. There are many other games that require more chakra precision on my part."

_Many other games_, Shibiki blinked. He wondered what _those_ games entailed.

"Gomen," Hinata blushed. "I should have cut it short. I'm sorry it was rather boring to watch, but that is one of the games we play."

"Iie. It was not boring at all," Shibi reassured her. "In fact, I thought it was fascinating, and it has given me much to think about."

Shino's brow furrowed. _What did that mean? He's up to something. _ Hinata, on the other hand, smiled sweetly at his father. _Shibi-san is always so encouraging_, she thought to herself.

"Does anybody have any-?" Hinata was interrupted by the shouji slamming open.

Tachoro stood in the doorway looking much the worse for wear. He pointed an accusing finger at his cousin, Shibiki. "You ditched me! You just left me at the mercy of those…of those…"

Hinata leaped to her feet. "Tachoro-kun, what happened? Were you attacked?"

Tachoro glanced at her worried face and groaned. "Not…sort of…I mean, I'm _okay_, but I only just got away and I had to resort to using a bunshin and…and…and you shouldn't have ditched me!" he finished with a glare at his cousin.

Shibiki had an unmistakably guilty look on his face. "I'm sorry, Tachoro. I thought you…wanted to stay with your new friends."

"I never said that!" he moaned. "I only went in the first place to spend some time with you and Shino, and then you _both_ left me there!"

"Tsumaranai, Tachoro," Shibiki apologized sheepishly.

Tachoro huffed a sigh and plopped down on the ground. "You owe me a new shirt, too."

"How did you lose half of yours?" Shibiki wondered.

"It's best not to talk about it."

"Oh dear! Were you accosted by thieves? I didn't realize the village was so dangerous!" Hinata fretted. "I'm so sorry, Tachoro-kun! If I'd known, I'd have escorted you!"

Shibi couched to disguise the sudden chuckle at the idea of tiny Hinata standing guard for his full grown nephew. He knew she was more than capable of doing just that, but the mental image was still amusing.

Tachoro grinned kindly at her. "Not thieves. Just…very persistent people. Actually, I think it would have helped if I'd had a girlfriend with me. Then, maybe, they'd have backed off."

The temperature dropped immediately at his words. Even from his lounging position on the floor, Tachoro could see Shino tense completely. So his quietest of cousins _did_ have feelings for his teammate. He had wondered, but with Shino it was hard to tell. Ah well. He'd really liked Hinata, but he would never try to steal his cousin's girl. He just hoped Shino realized what he had before it was too late. Hinata was looking down at him with slight confusion in her eyes, completely oblivious to the unique Intent to Kill radiating from her teammate and the rest of the Aburame clan. Now, how to stop the kikaichuu user from trying to burn a hole through his head... Tachoro made a show of stroking his chin in deep thought. He swore he saw Shino edge closer to Hinata and reach out his arm as if to shield her.

"I've got it." He suddenly pointed at Shibiki. "Shibiki, if I have to go into the village, you are disguising yourself as a girl and coming with me."

"MAH!!!" yelped Shino's brother. He gaped like a startled fish for several seconds before yelling, "What kind of resolution is that?! That is so ridiculous! Why would I do something like that?!"

To disguise his sudden lunge, Shino deftly reached for a piece of candy from the dish on the small table next to Hinata and handed it to her.

"You'll like it," he said quietly. "It's strawberry and cream flavored."

"Arigatoo," Hinata smiled, still keeping an amused eye on the continuing volley between Shibiki and Tachoro.

"You probably won't have to," Tachoro shrugged. "I plan on staying as far away from the village as I can. But it I have to go, you're it."

"B-B-But why _me_?! Why not, why not," Shibiki glanced around desperately. "Why not Shino? He left first!"

Tachoro shook his head as if explaining to a slow child, "Shino didn't leave _me_. He left _us_, so it's not his fault. Besides, Shino could never make a good girlfriend."

"Wha…? He's my _brother_. We look the same, except I'm taller! If you're so afraid, why don't _you_ just dress up as a girl," Shibiki shrugged. "You've got the hair for it."

"Are you making fun of my hair?"

"I like your hair, Tachoro-kun!" Hinata reassured him.

Tachoro blinked up at her and smiled thankfully. He hadn't meant to drag Hinata into this.

"It's really nice!" she bobbed her head eagerly. "It reminds me of my friend." Suddenly she turned pink and looked away.

Shino felt a sudden pain in his chest. Tachoro reminded Hinata of Naruto. It was impossible not to see the resemblance. Blond hair and deep blue eyes. Naruto didn't return Hinata's feelings, but what if he did someday…?

"Arigatoo, Hinata-chan. That's kind of you to say. At least _someone's_ on my side."

"It's not that I'm not on your side," Shibiki sighed wearily. "There's just no way in hell I'm going to be by your side as your pretend girlfriend."

Tachoro waved Shibiki's objections away. "I was just making things difficult for you," Tachoro explained. "You'd be a crappy boyfriend anyway."

"Oh, thank goodness! I really thought you were serious for a…hey! What do you mean by that?!"

Shibi sighed inwardly. What a strange conversation. Beside him, his wife just seemed amused.

"I bet you didn't even realize I wasn't here until I showed up," he sighed sadly. "And when I didn't make it for dinner, I thought someone might come looking, but…"

Shibiki gave a guilty start. "Well, I just thought you were out partying."

"Oh no! Tachoro-kun, did you not eat in the village? I'll go make you something!" Hinata sped out of the room.

By this time the only other people left in the room were Shino's three cousins, their wives, his parents, and his uncle Shiribi. Genbo and Panto had wandered off before the kikaichuu demonstration. Some of Shino's older cousins had headed off to bed as soon as they knew Tachoro had not faced any real danger.

Tachoro shook his head a bit sadly. "Shibiki, you've known me since I was a little kid. Since when have you started thinking of me as a party guy?"

"Well, those girls really seemed to like you. All, what, 12 of them?"

"I didn't ask them to sit with us! I don't…I don't want a girl like that. They were all…a bit off."

"Off?" Shibiki wondered. They'd seemed normal to him. Then again, he was used to being the guy that sat off to the side when fangirls crowded his more attractive friends.

"Yeah. It was like they didn't care about _who_ I am. They only seemed to care about finding a way to get married."

"Really?" Shibi's attention was now fully captured.

"Father…" Shibiki groaned.

"This is a good opportunity for you."

"I don't think you want a girl like that, Shibiki. I think one of them tried to slip something into my tea. I turned my head for a second and then the next mouthful tasted really bitter. I spit it out, but that's why I haven't eaten since lunch."

"Sorry, Tachoro."

Tachoro shrugged.

Shibi cleared his throat. "Still. This is an opportunity, Shibiki."

"Tachoro, you must be really popular with the ladies to have to resort to using a bunshin," Sori mused.

"Actually, that was to get away from the one that kept asking me questions about Shino. There were two of them. One of them was pretty interested in you, Shibiki. She was the least offensive of the bunch—actually seemed to be listening to what I said. They asked me questions for an hour at least."

Kinako frowned. "Those weren't those two girls that came by early in the afternoon, were they?"

"Pika and Chika? Or was it Gika and Bika…?"

"Rika and Mika?" Shibiki supplied.

"Yeah, them. They found me early in the evening. Actually, I think they scared off a number of the other ones."

Kinako frowned. "I'm not sure about those girls. The older one was okay, but the younger one…"

"If you _did_ want to go out with the older one, you'd probably have to find a date for the younger one. And, no, I'm not going. Besides, she seemed to be pretty set on Shino," Tachoro added.

"No," Shino cut in decisively. "Absolutely not."

Shibi nodded. Even as far back as a week ago, he'd have for-_encouraged_ Shino to go for the sake of the clan. At this point, however, it was more important to the head of the family that Hinata one day become a member of the Aburame clan. He wouldn't jeopardize that hope even if it meant losing a possible match for his eldest.

**Author's Notes:**

**Thanks, **_**Searching for Blood**_**, for the I Spy suggestion!**

**I used the triangle of Kikaichuu because of those three holes we see the bugs coming out from. I figured that would be "one."**

**I'm not crazy. They are **_**trying**_** to get longer. This one didn't want to end, but I made it.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden. Technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without regard to Shippuuden. The Konoha 11 are now 16ish, but I wouldn't call this AU, so I'll call it OS (for Outside of Shippuuden).**

**Thank you for all of the lovely reviews!**

OOOOO

Chapter 15

OOOOO

"I'm sorry you had to wait!" Hinata rushed in bearing a large tray crammed with food.

Tachoro's mouth dropped open, but he shut it quickly to avoid drooling on the floor. He sat up properly and looked up at her with eyes shining with gratitude.

"Thank you, Hinata-chan. This looks so good. I'm surprised you could find this much. I'd have thought the food would all be gone."

"It was," Shibiki corrected as he studied the dishes. "We didn't have any of this stuff for dinner. Well, we did have the fruit tart. Hinata, you really are some sort of cooking genius."

"Arigatoo," Hinata blushed shyly and poked her fingers together. She wasn't used to compliments, and she seemed to get them all the time from Shino's family.

Tachoro took in the full sushi platter, the cold soba, and the numerous side dishes. There was even a little pot of tea. Hinata deftly picked up the pot and poured an elegant stream into the waiting cup. _Okay. Maybe I should rethink the whole "not stealing my cousin's girl" plan_, he chuckled wryly to himself.

"Eat," she encouraged gently.

"You made all of this?"

"Hai," she nodded. "Go ahead."

"You made all of this in," he broke off to look at his watch, "twenty minutes?"

She nodded. He broke his chopsticks and took a piece of sushi. It was perfect.

"How did you make sushi rice at this time of the day?" Karime wondered.

Hinata gave a little chuckle and a shrug. "Sorry. It's a secret." She smiled wider as Tachoro tucked into his late supper with Shibiki occasionally snatching a piece of sushi.

With a little yawn, Hinata settled back onto the couch and quietly leaned her temple against Shino's shoulder. The simple, trusting gesture of affection was not lost on his parents, who took note but said nothing.

OOOOO

Mika sighed quietly and glanced at her sister whistling beside her. She had tried to reason with her and make her stay at the motel, but Rika refused to be left out.

"Rika, I really think I should go alone," Mika tried once more.

Rika froze and turned angrily. "What? You don't need me? Are you too good for me now? Huh? Think you're better than me like all those jerks?"

Mika sighed. "It's not that, Rika. You know I need you. It's just that the younger one isn't interested and the older one could be. If we're both there, it'll distract Shibiki."

"What?" Rika jeered. "Do you want him for yourself? Think he's _cuuute_?"

Mika massaged the blossoming pain in her temple. Some days she just wished her sister would tone down that attitude. "He's not bad looking, but that's not it. You overdid it yesterday. We didn't exactly receive a warm welcome, you know."

"Yeah, but that's why I made these," Rika stated, holding up a large bundle. "We infiltrate, learn what we need to know, and take out a few before the main force shows up."

"No! We _cannot_ do that. If even a few of their shinobi get poisoned, they're going to be on high alert!

"They're non-lethal cookies," Rika explained patiently. "Just to make them feel sluggish over the next few days. It'll be perfect." She sped up eagerly.

Mika, still full of misgivings, quickly followed her sister.

OOOOO

Meanwhile, back in Konoha, Neji held his own carefully wrapped bundle. The normally stoic and reserved young man felt his heartrate speed up. What if she didn't like them? What if she didn't like that he'd made them? Perhaps he should have bought them instead. If you gave someone a homemade gift, did that tell the person they weren't worth the cost of buying it, or that they were worth the time and effort of making it?

He walked to the training ground with a growing frown. Three kunai sped past his face and thunked into a target inches from his nose.

"Hi, Neji," Tenten greeted as she spiraled face down from her mid-air spin. She flipped right side up just before landing lightly on the ground.

Neji nodded.

"Something wrong?" Tenten wondered with a raised brow. "Did you manage to make Hinata mad? Why are you carrying that bento like it's going to explode at any minute?"

Neji took a deep breath and attempted the elaborate speech he'd prepared the night before. He would tell her how she was the only one he could ever look at, the only one who understood him and accepted him as he was. When he saw her, he felt a lightness and a…rightness…in his world. All manner of eloquent thoughts swirled through his head, but only a strangled noise escaped his throat.

Now Tenten looked really worried. "Neji…? Do you have a stomachache?"

Neji clamped his mouth shut and tried again.

"I…I know you have plans with Sakura and Ino tomorrow, so I wanted to give you these today. I…you…are a really great teammate," he finished lamely.

Tenten's mouth dropped open in surprise. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Swift as lightning, she brought her hands together to form a seal and shouted, "Release!"

A single drop of sweat rolled down Neji's forehead. Tenten shook her head. So it wasn't an impersonator.

"Uh…thanks, Neji."

He nodded and handed her the package. She sat down and tugged at the knotted cloth, first revealing the warm scent and then the sweet sight of her favorite food, chocolate chip cookies.

"Happy birthday, Tenten," Neji said quietly.

Tenten grinned at him. _He remembered! _She picked up a cookie and took a bite.

"Mmm," she moaned. "These are so good! I think these are even better than Sakura's mom's cookies."

Neji licked his suddenly dry lips and silently thanked Hanabi for her help.

"OH! Tenten, my lovely blossom! I see you have snacks. OH! Chocolate chip cookies! I bet I can eat all of those cookies in one gulp!"

"Guy-sensei! I bet I can eat all of those cookies in half a gulp!"

"Lee, don't be stupid. How can you measure half a gulp? I will show you the path of you-GAH!"

Two twitching green figures untangled themselves from the base of a tree as Neji straightened from his Juuken stance.

"I made those for Tenten for her birthday," he glared down at his teammate and sensei. "You are _not_ stealing them from her for some stupid race."

"Neji, you must learn to embrace your youth!" Guy lectured as he wobbled back and forth.

Neji glared at them coldly and then used his ultimate weapon. "It is very _unyouthful_ to steal someone's birthday cookies."

Guy and Lee gasped in horror.

"N-N-Neji. How right you are…. Neji! I am so moved that you are finally beginning to understand and embrace your youth! Yosh! Tenten, I will make you 1000 cookies to prove my youthfulness!"

"And I will make you 2000 cookies!" Lee cried.

The two raced off into the distance.

Neji sighed in relief. He looked up to share a smile with his teammate, as they usually did after managing to distract their insane instructor and equally insane teammate, but when he met her eyes, he found them swimming with tears. Tenten bit her lower lip to keep the tears from flowing over, and Neji felt his heart clench painfully. _What did I do wrong? _He panicked. _Tenten doesn't cry. Ever. Oh no. This is really bad. _

"Y-you…you _made_ me cookies for my birthday?" Tenten carefully set down the parcel, making sure to seal the container to protect it from ants.

Neji nodded weakly.

"That's the sweetest, most thoughtful thing anyone's ever done for me!" She leaped up and threw her arms around him.

Still confused, Neji shyly wrapped his arms around her and smiled into her soft brown bangs.

OOOOO

Hanabi grinned and carefully snuck away from her hiding place. She'd been worried for a while there, but Neji seemed to be doing fine now. Normally, she would stay and gather blackmail material, but not today. Neji deserved a few moments of peace and happiness.

OOOOO

"Hi," Mika smiled quietly as Shibiki opened the door.

"Oh, uh, hi," he said uncomfortably, as Rika pushed passed him into the compound. This was just not okay.

Mika cringed inwardly and offered a silent apology with her eyes, but Shibiki was already hurrying after her sister.

"Damnit! Where is he?" Rika grumbled. She irritably tossed the package of cookies on the kitchen counter.

"Rika!" Mika hissed quietly. "You're being incredibly rude!"

"I'm not leaving till I find him," Rika muttered to herself, completely ignoring the boy's brother and her own older sister. She set off quickly in a random direction.

Mika's face flushed, and she offered a sudden, deep bow to Shibiki. "I'm so, so sorry, Shibiki-san."

"I'm sorry," Shibiki said apologetically. "I shouldn't have…Shino's not interested."

"I thought as much," she admitted from her continued bow. "I'll just find Rika to take her home."

"I think that would be for the best. Why don't I help you find her?"

"Arigatoo." Mika straightened from her bow and the two walked off in uncomfortable silence.

OOOOO

"Genbo! Look!"

"What?"

"There's a food present!"

"Huh? What?"

Panto excitedly unwrapped the cloth package. His eyes widened at the sight of dozens of exotic cookies.

"Think it's okay if we eat them?"

"Yeah, sure. We're the only ones here, so it was probably left for us," Panto reasoned.

OOOOO

Hinata slammed to a halt as someone nearly bowled her over.

"Hey, you, where's Shino?" a haughty voice demanded.

Hinata stepped back and recognized the girl from yesterday, the one that had draped herself all over her important teammate.

"I-I…"

Rika snorted and pushed past her, but soon realized there was no one else in sight.

"Well?" she sneered impatiently.

This was that girl. Did Shino…have a special relationship with this girl? He'd never mentioned this person to her, but she'd seen them together the day before. In fact, this girl had seemed quite intimate with him. Hinata gulped. Seeing them together had hurt her. She knew it shouldn't. She should be happy for her teammate, but…lately Shino had seemed…more open to her. Warmer. She had hoped—she admitted it. Maybe…she had even wished…just a little…that he would look at her.

"Useless," Rika snorted.

Hinata jumped at the cruelty in her voice. How could Shino be happy with such a person? Maybe she was mistaken. Maybe there was nothing between them.

"I'm here to see Shino. Where is he?"

Hinata's jaw actually dropped open. To call him by his first name…perhaps they were…_close_ after all.

Shibiki and Mika hurried around the corner.

"There you are," Rika glanced over at Shibiki. "Your servant girl is pretty stupid. If you've got useless people working for you, you really should fire them."

Shibiki's eyes narrowed coldly behind his sunglasses. "This is Hinata-chan," he announced in a strong voice that carried all the way down the long corridor. "She is _not_ a servant. She is an important guest of our family and Shino's very good friend."

Rika gave Hinata a once over, snorted derisively, and muttered just loud enough for Hinata to hear, "Good friend, huh? Then that's even more unimpressive. You don't even have the title of 'servant' to explain your hideous clothing." _Good friend, huh? No way is this pathetic girl a threat._

Hinata brought her shaking finger to her lip in a familiar gesture. All of her old doubts came flooding back to her. She wasn't pretty. She wasn't confident. How could she hope for Shino, or _anyone_, to ever look at her?

"You're a _nothing_. You can't do anything. You can't even answer a simple question," Rika whispered so quietly that only Hinata could hear.

_I'm nothing_, Hinata repeated silently to herself. _I can't do anything…_

Suddenly, unbidden, a voice yelled out in her head: **You can! Don't label people just like that, you idiot! Beat her up, Hinata!**

_N-N-Naruto-kun?_

"Shino is going to be mine, so don't even think of getting in the way," Rika threatened quietly.

**Hinata! Why don't you say something back?! It's making the people watching get angry!**

"Wh-What?"

But Mika, ashen-faced and wide-eyed, had already caught up to her younger sister and dragged her down the hallway. Shibiki followed them warily.

_Just now_, Hinata thought. _Naruto-kun's voice…he wouldn't want me to give up. He would tell me to fight for my precious person with all of my heart. I will! I'm not going to run away! I'm not going to take back my words. That's my way of the ninja!_ _Naruto-kun…Naruto-kun…Arigatoo. _

Her face snapped up, and she marched off to find that girl and give her a piece of her mind.

OOOOO

Shinomaru wandered into the kitchen wondering where cousin Shino was. He looked up impassively at the sight of his uncles, Genbo and Panto, shoveling handfuls of cookies into their faces.

"Eh, Shinmaroo," Panto slurred around a particularly large mouthful.

"Good morning," Shinomaru nodded.

"Here, you can have one," Genbo offered graciously.

Shinomaru hesitated but took the proffered cookie. It would be rude not to take it, but he didn't actually want to eat it; however, his uncles were smiling at him kindly, so he thanked them politely and took it away with him.

Shinomaru stood in the hallway for a moment and stared at the cookie. It looked strange. He held it in front of his nose and sniffed it. It smelled funny, and was that…a piece of grass? He should really eat it because his uncle gave it to him, but he really didn't want to put it in his mouth. As he stood there contemplating his dilemma, the two uncles trudged out of the kitchen with goofy smiles on their faces. They yawned sleepily and stumbled down the hallway. Shinomaru made his decision. They'd never know. He walked back into the kitchen and lifted his arm to drop the offensive cookie into the trash.

A strangled cry startled him, and the cookie fell into the trashcan.

"Y-Y-YOU! What did you do?!"

Shinomaru's little mouth fell open in shock. Was that angry person in the doorway yelling at _him_?

Mika froze in the corridor. _Oh, no. Rika, _please_ don't do anything stupid…_

Rika's eyes raked over the countertop. Not a single cookie was left, only the rumpled handkerchief and a few crumbs. Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Why you little brat!" she screamed, rushing forward just as her fist drew back.

The loud smack reverberated off of every wall.

**Author's Note: Chapter 16 has been posted simultaneously!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden. Technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without regard to Shippuuden. The Konoha 11 are now 16ish, but I wouldn't call this AU, so I'll call it OS (for Outside of Shippuuden).**

**Thank you for all of the lovely reviews!**

OOOOO

Chapter 16

OOOOO

The loud smack reverberated off of every wall.

Shinomaru gulped nervously. _That person…that person was going to _hit_ me_. He looked up at Hinata-neesan's stern face, one he'd never seen before.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hinata demanded coldly.

Shibiki gulped in unconscious mimicry of his tiny cousin. _Those_ _eyes_. _Those_ were the eyes of Hyuuga Hiashi's daughter.

Rika stared in shock at the pain in her arm. She'd been about to pound that brat for ruining her plan when the little bitch ran in and smacked her arm away. And it hurt. A lot.

Hinata stared coldly at the girl before her. She had planned to find her quickly and tell her firmly, but gently, that Shino was her important person. That had all flown out the window when she'd seen the intruder raise her hand against Shinomaru. She'd used the Byakugan to find the girl quickly, and it was a good thing, too, or she wouldn't have made it in time. Now she wished she'd put even more chakra behind that hit. To threaten such a good, sweet little boy, one that she cared for deeply…. She could never forgive that!

"That brat destroyed my present to Shino!"

Shinomaru hurriedly shook his head.

"Don't lie, you little brat!" Rika screamed. "I saw you!"

"My uncle offered me a cookie, but I threw it away. That cookie wasn't your gift because my uncle gave it to me," he explained quietly.

"Liar! What did you do to the rest of them?!"

"Uncle only gave me one," Shinomaru insisted from around Hinata's legs.

"Why you…!" Rika drew her fist back once more.

Shibiki started and quickly stepped forward.

"Raise that hand to him again and I'll cut it off." Hinata's voice was even and low. That's probably why it cut across Rika's anger and stopped her in her tracks. Rika turned the strength of her anger on Hinata, only to find cold, dangerous eyes glaring back at her.

_Her eyes_, Rika thought weakly. _They're completely different than they were before._

"That's no way to talk to a guest," Rika sneered to cover up her discomfort.

"You are _not_ a guest. You're an intruder. There's a difference."

"I made Shino a present. I'm his guest."

"Did he invite you?" Hinata asked coldly.

"Yes," Rika sneered.

"Liar. I can see right through you. He doesn't even know you're here because you aren't _supposed_ to be here."

"I'm so sorry," Mika rushed in. "Please forgive our intrusion, Hinata-san. My little sister, Rika, is just upset because those cookies took her a long time to make."

Hinata softened just a little. Not toward _Rika_—she still hated that girl—but she could see that the older sister meant her polite words.

"Rika-san," Shibiki said in a colder tone than he'd meant to use earlier. "My brother is not interested in pursuing a relationship with you. It would be best if you just let it go and move on."

"I'm so sorry, Shibiki-san. We'll just be going now." Mika bowed once more and reached for her sister's arm. "Rika. Rika, _come on_."

Rika shook off her sister's grasp and stalked toward the doorway that led to the exit.

"Just so you know," Hinata's voice began in a soft but firm tone, "if Shino ever wants cookies, _I'm_ going to be the one to make them."

Rika paused mid-step, clenched her fist, and strode angrily out the door.

Hinata waited a full three minutes as she watched with her Byakugan to make sure the girls actually left. Then she deactivated her bloodline limit.

"Shinomaru-kun, she didn't hurt you, right?" Hinata was back to her concerned, gentle self.

Shinomaru shook his head. "I'm fine. Thank you for protecting me, Hinata-neesan."

Hinata smiled sweetly down at him. "Of course. I'll always protect you, Shinomaru-kun, no matter what happens. That's a promise."

Shibi thoughtfully crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the wall in the courtyard just outside of the kitchen door. _Well. That was interesting. _

OOOOO

Hinata gave a tiny smile as she watched her teammate playing a game with his brother and cousins. Honestly, it seemed more like the type of game that Kiba enjoyed playing. Two teams faced off against each other. Beyond that, the point of the game was a mystery. Basically, they seemed to be knocking each other down a lot. Each player had two pieces of cloth hanging from his waist. Hinata watched carefully for a few more minutes. Every so often, Karika, the referee, blew a whistle that was the cue for one team to attack the other. The boys seemed to be collecting the other team's strips of cloth. It wasn't necessary to knock the other person down, but sometimes that made it easier.

Tachoro clobbered Sora and did a funny victory dance beside his prone body. Sora smirked and kicked out, knocking Tachoro flat beside him.

Shibi stopped beside Hinata just as Tachoro and Sora were helping each other up. "Who does he remind you of?" Shibi asked quietly. At this point, he just wanted to know who his son was up against. They could take it from there. Shino was being incredibly tight-lipped about this mysterious person that Hinata had her heart set upon, but it didn't take a genius to see Hinata's blush last night and put the pieces together.

"Hm?" Hinata looked up at him curiously.

"My nephew, Tachoro," Shibi pointed out nonchalantly. "You said he reminded you of a friend."

"Oh, yes," Hinata nodded absentmindedly, her attention momentarily diverted as Shino roughly knocked one of his cousin's down. She'd never seen him play rough before. _Fight_ rough, of course, but not play rough. He was normally so calm and controlled. "He reminds me of my friend Ino-cha…_i_!" Hinata turned to Shibi with a red face. Shimatta! Oh no! She'd said it without thinking!

"Inochaai?" Shibi repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"I-I-I meant Ino_ichi_! Inoichi-san!"

Shibi turned to look at his nephew fully. He supposed the youth did resemble a young Yamanaka Inoichi, but Hinata had said…

He blinked as Tachoro's hair tie was accidentally yanked out during a tackle. His long blond hair tumbled down over his shoulders. With his porcelain, pretty-boy features…

A low chuckle rumbled from Shibi's chest, turned into a strong laugh, and spread through the courtyard.

"Sh-Sh-Shibi-san, p-please d-don't tell him I said that! I wasn't thinking when I said it the first time, and I didn't mean anything bad, but since they were talking about…well, you know, it might make him feel bad! _P-Please_."

"Don't worry, Hinata," Shibi reassured her. He lightly patted her on the shoulder and whispered. "You're secret is safe with me."

"Arigatoo!" Hinata grinned sheepishly.

Shibi gave her shoulder a fatherly squeeze and grinned out at his boy. Surely Shino was mistaken. All of the signs were there: Hinata was clearly fond of Shino, of the whole family. She'd just about laid her claim to his son during that altercation with the village girl this morning. Most importantly, although Shino claimed that her heart was taken, Hinata had never mentioned anyone that struck either him or his wife as the object of her affection. Shino just needed a little more _encouragement_.

OOOOO

Shino tackled his brother hard and the two went sprawling onto the grass. He'd had dreams of Hinata before, but last night had been the worst. In his dreams, her soft lips lingered teasingly in front of him. He'd moved to kiss her, only to have her skip out of reach. At one point he'd lunged forward to capture a kiss, only to realize that he'd actually woken up and almost kissed the real Hinata sleeping beside him. She'd smiled sweetly in her sleep, and he'd nearly lost his mind. He'd managed to swallow a soft moan and flop back down on his sleeping mat, but it had _not_ been a restful night.

"Releasing a little pent-up energy, little brother?" Shibiki asked wryly as he straightened his sunglasses and fingered the lump forming on the back of his head.

Shino shrugged without answering. When his father's laughter reached his ears, he looked around in surprise to see the cause. Hinata stood beside his father with a little embarrassed grin on her face. Shibi was not a man who laughed often. He was loving and affectionate, especially with his wife, but he did not tell or appreciate jokes as much as some others did. This was the second time Hinata had made his father laugh in less than three days. Again, Shino felt that painful stab of longing in his chest. He tore his eyes away from her and returned to the game with a new kind of ferocity.

_Boy, he's got it bad_, Shibiki sighed. _If only he'd seen and heard her this morning, then he'd know. But every time I try to tell him about it, he shuts me out. You and me, little brother, what are we going to do? You've got the perfect girl, but you're convinced she could never love you. And I've got nothing to go on. We make a pair, don't we? _

OOOOO

Hinata fell into step with her teammate as he walked inside. "Did you enjoy your game, Shino-kun?" she asked shyly.

Shino nodded quietly without looking at her. "I'm going to take a quick shower. I'll see you at lunch." Without another word, he walked off.

The little smile slid off of Hinata's face as Shino walked away. _Is Shino-kun angry with me?_ Her gaze fell to the ground. Nervously, her fingers tapped and twiddled as she replayed his words in her mind.

_Maybe I should leave for a little while. Shino-kun is probably just tired of seeing me every day…_

Hinata picked up a basket from the kitchen and lined it with cloth. Then she walked out of the compound and into the forest nearby.

"Hinata-chan!" a voice called before she'd made it very far. "Wait up!"

Hinata turned to wait for the figure running after her.

**Author's Notes:**

**1) Sorry for the cruel cliffhanger of Chapter 15, but it really needed to be done for the sake of suspense. I think I made up for it by posting two chapters in a row, so you only had to be worried for as long as it took you to load the next chapter. **

**2) I can **_**feel**_** that there are typos in this chapter, but I really wanted to post it before I left. If I notice that it's really bad, I'll repost an edit. **

**3) I'm going to be out of town for a few days. Even though I'll be writing, I might not be able to post; however, I'll be back with another chapter soon! Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone! **


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden. Technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without regard to Shippuuden. The Konoha 11 are now 16ish, but I wouldn't call this AU, so I'll call it OS (for Outside of Shippuuden).**

**Once more, thank you for all of the lovely reviews!**

OOOOO

Chapter 17

OOOOO

"Where are you heading?" Shibiki grinned as he finally caught up to Hinata.

"I was just heading into the forest to pick some berries," she answered with a little swing of her basket.

"Would you mind if I joined you?"

"Of course you can join me! I'd be glad for the company."

"What sort of berries are you looking for?"

"I've spotted some blueberry bushes about half a mile into the woods. It's near a little stream to the northwest," she explained as they walked.

"Why didn't you ask anyone to come with you?" he asked casually.

"I j-just thought people might be a little t-tired of having me around every second, so I thought I'd go and do something useful, give people a little space."

"Hinata-chan, we love having you around. We'd never get tired of you."

"Arigatoo, Shibiki-kun," Hinata replied with a pink-faced smile. "That is so kind of you to say."

"It's true!" Shibiki frowned as he turned over the past day's events in his mind. "Is there a reason you thought you were getting in people's way? You're not bothered by what that girl said, are you?"

"Mm-mm," Hinata shook her head. "Nothing like that. It's just…well, I know Shino-kun sometimes likes to have quiet time, and he seemed a little unhappy with me, so…. I thought maybe he'd like some contemplation time when he doesn't have to entertain me."

"Shino isn't unhappy with you," Shibiki assured her.

Hinata shrugged politely, unconvinced but not wanting to argue the point. "He just seems a bit unhappy today. Do you…?" Hinata trailed off as her faced darkened and she nibbled her bottom lip.

"Hm? What is it? You can ask me anything, Hinata-chan."

"Ano…Do you think I did the right thing?" Hinata asked worriedly. "Wh-What if…wh-what if Shino-kun was really looking forward to seeing that girl…? M-maybe I m-made him…? I didn't actually ask _him_ if he'd made a d-d-date with her. D-D-Do you think I've made him s-sad by turning her away?"

"Hinata-chan, you _definitely_ saved Shino. He really disliked that girl. Trust me on this. You did him a big favor. Besides, we could never accept someone who would actually hit Shinomaru. It's really easy to determine what kind of person someone is if you look at the way they interact with children."

"That's true," Hinata nodded. "Neji-niisan can sometimes seem like a cold person to people who don't know him, but he's actually very good with small children. He's very patient and perceptive with them."

Shibiki glanced at Hinata out of the corner of his eye and gave a little smirk. He hadn't been referring to her cousin when he'd made that comment. Hinata was a little too good at deflecting praise from herself. He wondered if she did it unconsciously.

With Shino clamming up recently, Shibiki had decided to give his brother a hand by assessing Hinata's feelings directly. The two were so perfect for each other. They just needed a push in the direction.

"Shino is pretty good with kids, too," he added off-handedly.

"Oh, yes!" Hinata nodded vigorously. "We had a special baby-sitting mission once. The client actually labeled it as between B and C rank. Apparently, many others had tried and failed. The kids were pretty wild, but Shino-kun had them under control almost immediately. It was actually very cute…." Hinata trailed off with a huge grin on her face as she revisited that fond memory. She swung her basket gently as her thoughts drifted farther into her daydreams. "I think Shino-kun will be a wonderful father."

"Maybe," Shibiki offered. "He's not really a ladies' man, though, so he might not ever get married."

"Oh, no!" Hinata refuted with an adamant shake of her head. "He will definitely start a family one day. And I'm sure he'll have no trouble finding someone. He's so kind and generous, so sweet and caring, so brave and strong, so loyal and encouraging. And he's also very handsome," she added with a pretty little blush.

Shibiki eyes grew wide and a silly grin erupted over his face. It looked like Shino wasn't the only one who had it bad.

"What about you?" Shibiki asked gently.

"Oh, um…maybe. I hope so. I'd really love to have a family one day, but…"

"But?" Shibiki inquired.

Hinata flushed and her gaze dropped to the ground. "I think it will be very hard, but I'm going to try."

"Why do you think it'll be hard for you?"

"I-I'm not p-pretty. And I'm d-d-definitely not very c-confident."

"Hinata-chan, you really are very cute," Shibiki insisted. "You mustn't put yourself down. Besides," he added slyly, "Shino definitely thinks you're beautiful."

Hinata blushed an entirely new shade of red and started fiddling furiously with her fingers. "D-Did he really…?

"He's very fond of you. He really likes having you as a teammate, too. Shino knows you're really capable."

Hinata nodded. "Of everyone in my life, Shino-kun is the one that has never doubted me or ignored me, not even when I was pretty weak and useless," she smiled affectionately.

Shino had made him promise not to tell Hinata directly that her team leader had a crush on her, but he'd never mentioned asking her questions about how _she_ felt. Shibiki took a deep breathe and decided to go for it. "Do you love him?" he inquired softly, fully expecting Hinata to blush, stutter, and prevaricate.

"Of course," she answered without pause, shocking Shibiki to no end with her simple, honest reply. "Of course," she repeated to herself.

"Have you ever told him that?"

Hinata flushed and looked away. "No, I couldn't."

Unseen, Shibiki frowned.

"I…I couldn't do that to him," she whispered with a shake of her head. "It wouldn't be fair."

Shibiki turned to her with a puzzled look on his face. "Fair?"

"Shino-kun is so kind and honorable. If I told him such a thing…he would feel _obligated_…even if he only cares for me as a teammate and a good friend. When I asked him to help me train so that I could become stronger, he never once told me 'no.' He always makes time for me and does kind things for me, even if it means going out of his way. Shino was always the one encouraging me at every point. I…I wouldn't want him to feel like…. I wouldn't want him to pity me or…feel like he needed to go against his feelings in order to be kind. And he _is_ so very kind."

"But, Hinata-chan, it's even more unfair if you feel that way about him and never tell him. Like I said, Shino isn't a ladies' man. Perhaps in such a thing, _he's_ the one that needs a little encouragement."

"Shino…need encouragement? B-But he doesn't doubt himself the way I do. I'm sure if he f-f-felt such things a-about m-me, then he would tell me himself. He's such a direct person."

"Maybe he thinks you have special feelings for someone else," Shibiki shrugged, knowing full well that's what Shino believed. "He may have mentioned that you have someone special…"

"Really?" Hinata frowned and twiddled her fingers as she puzzled out this new information. "I don't have a boyfriend or anything like that. I-I've never even been on a date before."

"Maybe someone that he knew you liked?" Shibiki knew he was desperately fishing for a name, but he didn't care.

Hinata nibbled her bottom lip as she thought. The only person she'd ever liked besides Shino-kun was… "Oh. Maybe…?" _But that doesn't make sense. Naruto-kun is just a very good friend now. Besides, he's going out with Sakura-chan now._

"Hm?" Shibiki kept his voice gentle and patient, but he could hardly contain his curiosity.

"I…I used to like someone for a very long time," Hinata explained slowly. They arrived at the blueberry bushes, and she continued her quiet explanation as they gathered the plump, ripe berries. "I still greatly admire him and consider him to be a good friend. Actually, it became easier to think of him as just a good friend when I got to know him better. He is also a very kind and encouraging person, though he is much more energetic than anyone else in Konoha. Actually, it made me really happy when he came to me for help recently."

"What about?"

"He's been in love with a girl ever since we were at the Academy together. He had asked her out many times, but she always turned him down. Recently, he came and asked me for my advice, and I was able to help him," Hinata explained with a proud little smile.

"So, this guy that you used to like but now think of as a friend has a girlfriend?" Shibiki asked carefully.

"Mm-hmm," Hinata nodded, surprised at how easily she managed to share all of her inner thoughts with Shino's big brother. Her own father didn't even know this much about her.

"Did you start thinking of him as a friend because he was taken?"

Hinata shook her head. "B-Before that. I-It was when I r-realized that I l-l-like…" Here Hinata's courage failed her and her face turned bright red.

Shibiki watched with growing alarm as Hinata seemed to sway. He swore he could feel the immense heat radiating from her burning face.

"Hinata-chan? Hinata-chan!" Shibiki leaped up and caught both Hinata and the basket of berries before they fell. He shook his head in amused bewilderment as he lifted the slender girl into his arms. She'd so sweetly and honestly told him that she loved his brother, and then she'd somehow managed to embarrass herself into unconsciousness by thinking about him. Shibiki raised a single eyebrow. _Hmm…if she already told me she loved him, what was she thinking about before she fainted? _

OOOOO

Shino toweled off and dressed. The shower had helped. He felt more relaxed, and the headache had temporarily abated. It was so hard not to think about her, though.

He wanted so much. Too much. He wanted to hold her against his chest and feel her heart beat against his. He wanted to kiss her awake from a nap, to watch her beautiful eyes blink open slowly, and to see her sweet smile when she noticed him gazing at her. He wanted to bury his face in the hollow of her neck and inhale her scent. He wanted to…

Every muscle in Shino's body tensed at the sight of his older brother carrying an unconscious Hinata into the compound. In an instant, he was in front of them, arms out to take her. "What happened?" His voice was harsh with worry.

"She was talking about something when I think she got embarrassed and fainted," Shibiki shrugged.

Once he'd inspected his teammate, Shino gave a sigh of relief. "What were you talking about?"

"Oh, you know. This and that. She was telling me about this boy she used to like. Apparently, she recently helped him get a date with the girl he's always liked," he threw out nonchalantly. "We talked about other things, too. Quite interesting things."

Shino froze completely. "What?"

"Things," Shibiki grinned evilly. "We talked a bit about the boy she likes now."

"Hinata…told you who she likes?" Shino frowned in consternation. "I'm her teammate and friend. Why didn't she tell me?"

"I wonder if maybe she's been trying to," Shibiki mused thoughtfully.

"Shibiki?" their mother called from down the hallway.

"I'm here, Mother," Shibiki called back.

"Will you run into town and pick up some things for me?"

"Of course, Mother," Shibiki replied. "Shino, just talk to her. Tell her how you feel. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."

"You didn't…?"

"I told you I wouldn't. But just talk to her, okay. I've got to go. Mom's waiting."

Shino didn't know what to say as Shibiki dashed away. He gazed down at Hinata's peacefully sleeping face and felt the overwhelming urge to…just hold her.

OOOOO

During missions, he always woke up before his teammates. On easier missions, sometimes he would even wait a few minutes until Hinata woke up before rising himself. She looked so cute when she slept, curled on her side with her hand tucked near her smooth cheek. Sometimes if he watched her for a few minutes, she'd smile in her sleep. He always wondered what she thought of right before her eyes fluttered open, for she looked so sweetly contented with the world.

Once, in one the balmier countries, it had been so warm that all three of them had doffed their jackets and slept on top of their mats. During the early morning hours it grew chilly. Hinata had unconsciously snuggled against him, her left arm draped affectionately over his torso. He'd woken to the feel of her delightful weight pressed against him and her silken hair caressing the underside of his chin.

These thoughts and the memories of many other affectionate moments ran through Shino's head as he laid his precious friend down on the couch. He leaned forward, and his lips almost brushed the delicate shell of her ear as he whispered, "Hinata?"

She stirred and yawned as if she'd only been taking a nap. "Hmm…" she sighed with her eyes closed. Hinata was still a little sleep addled. "Shino-kun…"

"Yes?" he asked.

Hinata suddenly bolted straight up, and her wide and confused eyes darted around the room. "Wh-What happened? H-How did I get here?"

"You and Shibiki were discussing something when you fainted in the woods."

Hinata recalled what she'd been thinking about, and her face ignited even as she stared at the object of those thoughts. A tiny squeak escaped her throat.

"Hinata, what were you and Shibiki talking about?" Shino asked her seriously. He was hurt that she had gotten over Naruto only to fall for another man. He was upset that she hadn't told him—her friend, teammate, and team leader—about the new person she'd allowed into her heart. Though he tried to keep his voice even, it was clear that her answer really mattered to him and that this was no idle question, not that Shino had a tendency to ask idle questions.

"I-I-I-I-I…" Hinata's unconscious form slumped back onto the couch.

Shino sighed and tucked a strand of Hinata's hair behind her ear. He would have to wait until later to interrogate her about this new love interest, but he was determined to find out who had supplanted Naruto's place in Hinata's affections.

OOOOO

"Shino?" Kaoru called as she stepped in from the hallway. "Have you seen Hinata? The girls and I are going to start dinner."

Kaoru started as Shino immediately straightened from where he'd been kneeling on the floor. The back of the couch faced the doorway, so from where she stood she could only see Shino. She walked around to see what he was doing and gasped. Shino had been leaning over Hinata's sleeping form. _Oh no! Did I interrupt him kissing her?_

Shino straightened his glasses nervously. "I'll just wake Hinata then."

"No, no! If I'd known she was taking a nap, I'd never have interrupted. Uh…"

With all of the commotion going on above her, Hinata finally stirred. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and blinked up at them.

"Wh-What? Did I faint again?"

Shino nodded down at her. "Hinata, what were-?"

"Oh!" Hinata suddenly exclaimed with a hint of panic in her voice. "Kaoru-san, I'm so sorry! I was supposed to help with dinner! I'll just go wash my hands and meet you in the kitchen." With that, she jumped off of the couch and raced away.

Silently frowning, Shino walked out the door. His aunt stared after him and wondered what had gone wrong.

OOOOO

Kinako's smile grew and grew as Shibiki related his conversation with Hinata. Her sister's-in-law listened in eagerly as they unpacked the provisions Shibiki had brought, and the girls shared a knowing look when Hinata bustled in with a stuttered apology. They would work on her. Shibiki winked at his mother and let himself out.

It started innocently and indirectly. Karimi teased Karika about the first time the youngest sister had hugged the man that would become her husband. In her exuberance and gratitude, she'd slipped, and what had meant to be a warm gesture had turned into an awkward tumble of limbs and misplaced hands.

"Hinata, who gave you your first hug?" Karimi asked slyly.

Hinata's busy hands stilled, and she appeared to be lost in thought for several minutes. The girls sweat-dropped as the silence drew on. Kinako briefly wondered if Hinata had hugged so many men that she couldn't remember her first.

Shibi stood just outside the doorway with his chakra repressed and listened carefully.

"I think," Hinata replied quietly and with a hint of nostalgia in her voice, "that it must have been my mother. I don't really remember a first hug, but she was always very kind to me."

_Was?_ each of them thought.

Shibi arched a single eyebrow when his son stealthily mimicked his position on the other side of the door.

"Uh…" Karika chuckled. "I think she meant what _boy_ gave you your first hug, and don't say 'your father!'"

Hinata smiled wistfully. "Well, my father doesn't do things like that anyway."

Hinata's mentioning of her mother had tugged at their heartstrings, but her honest confession that her father had never hugged her in her life made each of the women want to cry. They'd all grown up in very loving families full of hugs and kisses from both parents. No wonder Hinata was so shy and unsure of herself.

Unseen and unheard, Shibi frowned in the hallway. He would be honored to have Hinata as his daughter and was displeased to hear that Hiashi did not treat her with the love she deserved.

"Um…I suppose that it was Kiba-kun. It was right after we passed our Genin test." Hinata giggled at the memory.

Both Shino and Shibi tensed respectively. _There_, Shino thought. _That must be it_. Kiba was much more outgoing and energetic than himself. In many ways, he was a little like Naruto. Kiba was also the only other boy that Hinata interacted with on a regular basis.

"What about Shino?" Karimi threw out.

Hinata giggled again. "Judging from his reaction, I think that was also Shino's first hug from a boy."

Shino swallowed an embarrassed groan and studiously avoided his father's curious gaze.

"I mean…do you think there might be feelings there that aren't…quite appropriate for a teammate?" Karime explained as delicately as possible.

"Oh, no! No, no, no! Not at all! Kiba-kun is very physically affectionate, but he just thinks of Shino-kun as his teammate. Plus, I know he definitely thinks some of the village girls are cute. Also, Shino has never mentioned liking a boy."

_Swing and a miss for sweet, little Hinata_, Shibi chuckled to himself as he watched his son pantomime hitting his head against the wall.

Shino really did want to hit his head against the wall, but he couldn't afford to give away his position. He would just have to live with the mortifying reality that Hinata had just defended his sexual orientation to his mother and aunts. He supposed that's what you got for "gathering information." Sometimes you gathered things you wish you'd never known.

"How do _you_ feel about Kiba?" Kinako asked directly.

"He's a very loyal teammate and a good friend," Hinata replied.

"Yes, but if he had to pick his favorite teammate, who do you think he would pick?"

"Akamaru, of course. Kiba-kun cares very much for Shino-kun and me, but Akamaru is his best friend. They eat, train, and sleep together. They even take baths together."

"Well, I suppose if you take a bath with someone, that automatically makes you closer to them," Zuruiko-baasan chimed in as she sauntered in through the other doorway. She turned her full attention to the young kunoichi and waggled her eyebrows lasciviously. "Hinata, since Kiba has to bathe his dog, does that leave you to give Shino a bath?"

Out in the hallway, all Shino and Shibi heard was silence followed by a very loud THUMP.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden. Technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without regard to Shippuuden. The Konoha 11 are now 16ish, but I wouldn't call this AU, so I'll call it OS (for Outside of Shippuuden).**

**Seriously, your kind and supportive reviews give me the energy to write.**

OOOOO

Chapter 18

OOOOO

"Well, I suppose if you take a bath with someone, that automatically makes you closer to them," Zuruiko-baasan chimed in as she sauntered in through the other doorway. She turned her full attention to the young kunoichi and waggled her eyebrows lasciviously. "Hinata, since Kiba has to bathe his dog, does that leave you to give Shino a bath?"

Out in the hallway, all Shino and Shibi heard was silence followed by a very loud THUMP.

OOOOO

Hinata awoke to Zuruiko-baasan's grin-split face leering down at her and her wizened palm gently slapping her cheek.

"You fainted! Did I hit on the truth there?"

"I-It was an a-a-accident!"

Shibi's brow furrowed in confusion. Did that mean that she'd fainted by accident or that she'd given Shino a bath by accident?

From across the doorway, Shino looked equally puzzled. _Oh, perhaps she's talking about the water training? Yes, that must be it. Even with a bloodline limit like the Byakugan, Hinata would __**never**__ spy on me in the bath._

"Hinata, maybe you need to eat more red meat? You faint quite often," Kinako noted with a worried frown.

"It doesn't happen all the time," Hinata explained weakly. With an embarrassed blush, she went back to forming dumplings.

Unfortunately, Zuruiko-baasan seemed to be homing in for the kill. "Hinata, who was the first boy you ever kissed? That wasn't in your family, I mean."

"Umm…" Hinata paused and tilted her face up thoughtfully. Her characteristic blush was strangely absent and she seemed no more embarrassed than if she'd been asked about her favorite sushi restaurant. "Shinomaru-kun."

Several jaws dropped to the floor. If Hinata thought kissing a three-year-old on the forehead counted as a first kiss, then she and Shino really did need their help.

OOOOO

"Hinata," Shino began quietly as he helped move dishes into the dining room, "What were you talking about with Shibiki?"

"Oh, we were just chatting about different things," Hinata explained quickly.

"He hinted that there was something you haven't told me," Shino attempted.

"Oh, did he…?" Hinata trailed off.

"Hinata, I am your teammate. Teammates tell each other things."

"I-I-I…"

"You've told Kiba already, haven't you?" Shino asked with the beginning of a sulk on his face. He hated feeling left out.

"N-No?" Hinata gulped. Shino could be very stubborn, especially when he felt left out or ignored. The surest way to get Shino's full attention was to pretend like you had nothing to hide from him. _Oh, no. Now what do I do? _

OOOOO

They had trained until later than normal, and the sky was already shifting to the orange and crimson of dusk when the two halted their sparring match.

"Tenten?" Neji began as the kunoichi sorted her weapons for proper storage. "Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?"

Tenten grinned up at him sweetly. "Sure, Neji. I'd love to. Let me just go tell my parents. I'll meet you at your place in an hour."

Neji raised an amused eyebrow. "I thought the man was supposed to pick up the woman in cases like this?"

Tenten chuckled. "Well, we live in a refined and open-minded age, Neji. We've got our first female Hokage, and it's perfectly reasonable and normal for a girl to do whatever she pleases regardless of gender restrictions."

Neji smiled warmly at her. This was one of the things he loved about Tenten. She wasn't a girly girl that pretended to be weak in order to catch a boy's attention. She didn't care about the way she looked, even though she always looked beautiful to him.

"Besides," Tenten continued matter-of-factly, "my brothers haven't met you yet, and I won't have enough time to take a bath, do my hair, and prevent a bloodbath, too."

"What?" Neji asked worriedly as she skipped away with a grin and a little wave.

OOOOO

Hinata sighed. She'd somehow managed to escape Shino-kun's questions over the past two hours, but now she feared she was in a state of permanent panic. Whenever Shino appeared beside her with that determined look on his face, she felt the need to flee and conveniently made up an excuse to busy herself. _You're being a coward_, she reprimanded herself. _You promised Naruto-kun and yourself that you wouldn't run away anymore!_

Inhaling deeply, Hinata imagined simply finding Shino-kun and telling him that they needed to talk. He would nod stoically and they would find an unused room. Then they would sit quietly until Shino-kun's interrogation skills finally wore her down. Basically, he would sit there expectantly until she cracked. She wasn't good at keeping secrets from him. He would listen patiently to her speech, which may or may not be punctuated with moments of unconsciousness, and then he would answer her. More likely than not, he would simply be silent for a long while before explaining calmly and rationally that it was inappropriate for teammates to be romantically involved with one another and surely it would also disrupt their team dynamic. She would stutter out an apology and promise to protect their teamwork no matter what, and…and…and…And when had her fantasies become so depressing? The day before yesterday she'd wondered if he was beginning to really see her. This morning she'd been convinced that Shino-kun would accept her just to be kind. Now she'd managed to convince herself that he would turn her down for the sake of the team.

"Even then, he would still be kind and reasonable about it," Hinata mused out loud. _He's always calm and in control_, she thought to herself. Perhaps that's why she was taken by surprise when Shino's palms slammed into the wood panels on either side of her head, effectively trapping her within his arms. His voice, taut with frustration and hurt, came out low, husky, and intimately demanding.

"Hinata, who do you love?"

OOOOO

Neji ran a hand through his long hair before putting on his hitai-ate and tying his hair back. He went to inform his uncle that he wouldn't be present for dinner and stopped in the garden to pick a single crimson flower before going to wait by the front gate.

Tenten was never late, so it was unusual to not see her anywhere. A pretty girl with long, dark tresses grinned and waved at him from halfway down the street.

Neji felt his throat go dry. That girl _was_ Tenten. His teammate had forgone the usual twin buns and shinobi pants. Her wavy brown hair was as long as his, and she was wearing a pink dress of some soft, fluttery material that manged to hug her hips and flare around her thighs at the same time.

"Hi, Neji," she greeted cheerfully.

"You look beautiful."

Tenten beamed at him. "Thank you. You look very handsome."

"I look the way I always do," Neji shrugged.

"Yep," Tenten replied with a smile. She tucked her arm in his and asked, "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere," Neji replied. _As long as it's with you._

OOOOO

"Hinata, who do you love?" Shino demanded quietly.

Hinata gasped, her heart fluttering madly in her breast. Had Shino-kun ever looked at her like _that_ before? All of his walls, all of his restraints, were gone. His face was mere inches away from hers. Could it be? The warm smiles, the gentle brushes of his hand against hers as they sat on the couch—did it all mean that he returned her feelings?

"Shino-kun," she managed to whisper.

"Please, Hinata. _Tell me_." A painful mixture of anxiety and need textured his voice. It sent shivers up and down her spine.

"Shino-kun," she answered in a louder voice.

_Shibiki was right! Shino-kun does care for me as more than a teammate._ She could hear it in his voice and in the way his kikaichuu buzzed frantically within him. It was as though they were calling to her. Her face tilted upwards and her eyelids fluttered closed in anticipation of the kiss she sometimes dreamt of. Hinata felt Shino's warm sigh caress her lips and his arms circle around her body.

_Great_, Shino sighed as he studied Hinata's closed eyes and serene expression. _She's fainted again. Well, I'm not giving up this time. I will make her tell me who she's fallen in love with. _Shino deftly picked her up in his arms and walked down the hallway.

Hinata blinked her eyes open in confusion. _Why did Shino-kun just pick me up?_ She took in the firm line of his jaw and the tense lips that she'd _thought_ were going to be placed against hers a moment ago.

Shino stopped and slid a door open with his foot.

"Shino-kun, where are you taking me?" Hinata asked shyly.

Shino stared down at her in surprise. "I…I was taking you to our bedroom," he answered blankly. _When did she wake up?_

Hinata's little mouth fell open, and her eyes grew wide as saucers. "T-T-To our bedroom?" _It's too soon!_ _Don't I get a first kiss, well, __**first**_

Shino slid the door shut with his foot and placed his teammate on her bedroll. He was beginning to suspect she fainted as an unconscious means of escape. Determined to find out the identity of her new love, he figured he might as well make sure she wouldn't hurt herself when she passed out. He looked down at her with a sad look of longing and placed his palm lightly on her heart. "Hinata, I want to know what's in here."

Hinata stared up at him with panicked eyes. _H-He wants me to undress?!_

"Sh-Shino-kun, n-no!" she uttered weakly.

Shino froze. She looked…_afraid_…of _him_. Was he so horrible and unwanted that she who had always trusted him would now look at him with fear in her eyes? An icy chill shot down his spine and settled deep in his stomach. He stood and turned abruptly. His fists clenched at his sides, and he moved to leave the room.

Hinata's unseen lips trembled dangerously. He was leaving. She didn't want that. If she let him walk away now, nothing would ever be the same. She would lose him!

Shino stilled as Hinata's slender arms encircled him tightly from behind. She pressed her face against his back and whimpered softly.

"You're angry with me." Her tiny whisper was full of anguish. "P-Please, Shino-kun, I care for you so much. Please don't be angry with me. I-I'm just not r-ready to h-h-have s-sex with you j-just yet!"

_Sex? What?!_ Shino whipped around so sharply that his glasses flew off his face. His silvery gray eyes were wide with shock. "I-I wasn't trying to…I just wanted to ask you…I didn't want you to hurt yourself if you fainted again, so I…"

Hinata blanched and then burned with shame. "Y-You weren't…you didn't want to…"

Shino ran the last ten minutes through his mind. His brain searched frantically and then screeched to a halt. _Yet? Yet?! _Did that mean…?

Meanwhile, Hinata had curled up into a ball and buried her face in her pillow. That was it. There was nothing left to do but die, and she felt her embarrassment would kill her any moment now. She heard the shifting of cloth before strong hands cradled her face and lifted it to meet eyes roiling with emotion. Shino caressed her crimson cheeks with his thumbs and tried to form words but failed. Instead, apologies and explanations melted in a flood of tender kisses.

**Author's Notes:**

**1) I suppose I got a little mushy in this chapter. Oh, well. It's also a bit short, but I think it highlights the important things that happened. I didn't forget Shinomaru! He's got another important role in the matchmaking. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden. Technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without regard to Shippuuden. The Konoha 11 are now 16ish, but I wouldn't call this AU, so I'll call it OS (for Outside of Shippuuden).**

OOOOO

Chapter 19

OOOOO

"Since we're dating now, you've got to officially meet my family," Tenten explained with a grin.

"I've met your parents," Neji pointed out as he pulled her close against his chest. The two of them were watching the stars from the roof of a building. Tenten leaned fully against him and let her head rest on his shoulder.

"Yeah, when you were eleven and first introduced as my teammate. You haven't met my brothers, though, and my parents haven't interacted with you since that disastrous dinner with Guy-sensei and Lee all those years ago."

"Tenten, I'm your teammate. I'm sure they remember who I am," Neji smiled. "And you've mentioned your brothers before, especially Nanaru and Yonda."

"Yes, but I'm the youngest of ten and the only girl, so my brothers can be a little overprotective at times."

"I'm sure it will be fine," Neji assured her.

Tenten remained unconvinced, but decided to just enjoy Neji's warmth instead of worrying about the many ways he could die at the hands of her niisans.

OOOOO

Shino kissed her cheeks, her lips, her forehead, her nose, every inch of her face that he could reach. Then he slipped one below her chin and against her neck. The sudden moist caress sent shivers up and down Hinata's spine, and she gasped as her hands fisted Shino's normally tidy-looking jacket. He nibbled along the silken line of her neck and suckled the delicate flesh right above her collarbone. She squirmed deliciously and held him close. Shino moved back and gently, teasingly brushed his lips against hers. Hinata felt his tongue touch her bottom lip, silently asking for permission. Without thinking, she felt her lips part for him, and his tongue slipped into her mouth and danced along her own.

OOOOO

"…tomorrow, Shibiki," Shibi finished.

"But father," Shibiki sighed. "I'm not actually interested in any of those girls. And while some of them talked to me, they were far more interested in Tachoro."

"So go into town without Tachoro," Shibi reasoned.

Shibiki rubbed his temples. His father was being particularly stubborn about this.

"You don't have to stay there all day. Just go for a few hours."

"Fine," Shibiki sighed. He wearily pushed himself to his feet and dragged himself to the room he shared with Shino and Hinata. Actually, he mused, it was sort of like being in a three-man cell.

He yawned loudly and pushed open the sliding door. The sight within made him pause. Hinata was curled up in a ball with her face buried in her pillow. Shino was looking amused and gently nudging her in the side.

"Hinata, it's alright," Shino said reassuringly.

Hinata shook her head furiously, never lifting her face.

"You're going to suffocate if you do that," he noted cheerfully.

She gave a little squeak.

Wait a minute. Shino was being cheerful? Shibiki studied his brother carefully. Shino looked completely relaxed, and he was looking at Hinata with an expression of playful affection. Shibiki turned to hide his wide smirk before gathering his toiletries and slipping into the bathroom down the hall.

The three turned in for the night. Was it Shibiki's imagination or was Hinata-chan's sleeping mat even closer to Shino's than before? He turned his back to his brother and faced the wall. About twenty minutes later, he heard a tiny rustle and the soft sound of a secret goodnight kiss. In the dark Shibiki grinned. _Mission accomplished._

OOOOO

Hanabi tossed and turned. She sat up briefly and punched her pillow with slightly more venom than necessary before flopping back irritably and drifting back to sleep. Half an hour later, her fist gripped her covers tightly. In the darkness and silence, the veins at her temples bulged with pressure although her eyelids remained shut.

OOOOO

"Rika, you _will_ stay here, won't you?" Mika asked one last time.

"Yeah, yeah," her younger sister grumbled.

The older girl sighed and finished brushing out her long dark hair.

"Use it," Rika mumbled.

"Huh?"

"The perfume. Use it. This is our last chance, so you might as well go all out."

Mika hesitated, but she drew out the tiny bottle from her bag. She stared at it for several moments.

"Try not to attract any creeps while you're wearing that stuff," Rika reminded her.

Mika nodded silently.

OOOOO

Several young women stopped Shibiki to ask about Tachoro, but they left as soon as he explained that his cousin had no intention of coming into town today. He sat down at an outdoor café and placed an order for hot tea. For some reason, he found himself thinking about the girls he had dated, or simply liked, over his lifetime.

Nanoa was his first love. He'd brought her flowers every day, and she'd let him push her on the swings at the playground. That was a long time ago, even before he'd received his hive. It was actually her mother that had put a stop to their relationship. Nanoa had looked fascinated as he showed her his first bugs one day, but suddenly her mother had snatched her up and carried her home. He didn't see her for many years after that because she wasn't meant to be a shinobi and never attended the academy. After he'd made jonin, he'd seen her working in a shop in the village. She was pregnant with her second child and cheerfully married to the plump, kind son of the village's confectioner. Sometimes he stopped by to chat and she'd give him a chocolate to take home.

Kukira had given him his first kiss. She'd simply walked up to his desk after school, tugged down the collar of his jacket, and pressed her lips against his. She was very direct like that—so direct that she was the only girl to flat out tell him it was the bugs that had turned her off. They were still friends, though, and sometimes they'd share a drink at the local bar if they happened to meet up.

Shisa was the first woman he ever slept with. He'd gone out as a civilian, even foregoing his sunglasses, to attend the Spring Festival. His own teammates had walked right by him without noticing. Shisa just happened to be sitting near him on the lawn during the fireworks show, and they'd started chatting. She'd taken him back to her apartment and made him feel special for the first time in his life. Although he hadn't known her long enough to be in love, it had really hurt the next day when he'd shown up in his everyday attire and seen the fear appear in her eyes. It was much harder to be friends with her after that. He had, literally and emotionally, shown more of himself to her than to anyone else, and her rejection had wounded him more deeply than any before.

There were others that he'd loved and lost. Konoha was filled with pretty girls. For the most part, his relationships ended amicably because he wasn't one to hold a grudge. Still, repeated rejection takes an emotional toll on a person, and Shibiki found himself pulling back a bit. He still went out with his friends to have a good time, but he hadn't bothered making the first move, not for a couple of years. After Shisa, he'd realized that his only shot at a long-term relationship was to find a girl who knew everything about him first. Of course, he didn't go around flaunting his bugs. That was just not a good dating habit. Instead, he just remained polite and waited to see if anyone could look past the glasses and the collar. If they did, he still remained polite and waited to see if they'd stick around after "meeting" the bugs. Sometimes they did, for a little while. Often it was the girl's friends that pressured her into leaving him to find someone more "normal."

It wasn't until about a year ago that his father had taken a keen interest in finding him a wife. Shibiki suspected it had to do with Sora, Soru, and Sori getting married. The omiais usually went fine. He was a nice guy, warm and open-minded, but it was one thing to have a pleasant conversation over a formal tea and quite another thing to convince a girl to marry you even though you had bugs within every inch of your body. Shibiki's general strategy was to attract a woman with his good-natured charm and then introduce the bugs and see how she reacted.

Suddenly, he gave a low chuckle. That hadn't been the order of operations with the last girl he'd met. She was cute, he thought absent-mindedly. He'd been coming home from a mission. On the outskirts of one of the Fire Country villages to the east of Konoha, he'd heard a scream. A young woman's cart had been surrounded by robbers just as she'd reached the bridge that led out of town. She'd grabbed a bag of money and raced to the middle of the bridge. In retrospect, it was a very a foolish thing to do. She'd stopped in the center of the bridge and almost seemed to be daring the robbers to follow her. Most of them did, but one stayed to poke through the contents of the cart. Instead of running away with the money, the girl froze stiff before running back to the cart and straight into the robbers. Between him and his bugs, he'd dispatched the robbers easily. Unfortunately, the remaining robber had found the girl's little brother hidden amongst the boxes and packages and threatened to throw him over the side of the bridge if Shibiki didn't back off and hand over the money. It wasn't a long fall; Shibiki could have jumped down with ease, but it would seriously injure a little boy. They were going to trade for the boy—Shibiki having every intention of later beating up the robber and returning the money to its rightful owner—when the feisty child had bitten the arm holding him up in midair. The robber let go of the boy with a cry of pain. While sending half his bugs to take down the robber and half to slow the boy's fall, he'd jumped straight over the rail and caught the boy in his arms before landing safely on the dirt below. Again, misfortune seemed to be on his side. He hadn't realized the irrigation runoff led straight out of a pipe below. Although he and the boy landed safely, their combined weight sent jets of mud flying, and the both of them were covered from head to toe. The small boy had laughed, proclaimed it was the most fun thing he'd ever done, and asked if they could do it again. Shibiki had chuckled and handed over the little boy to his sister with a sheepish apology. She'd thanked him profusely and shyly explained that he was her son, not her brother. _Not my best impression_, he laughed quietly. I seem to be on a downward spiral when it comes to meeting women, he thought wryly.

Shibiki sat for another hour. When he was quite full of tea, he paid his bill and stood up to leave.

"Oh, are you already finished?" a disappointed voice asked.

Shibiki turned to find Mika standing on the other side of the little fence that marked the boundary of the café.

"I think I've had enough tea for a week," he smiled apologetically.

"Only tea? Have you had lunch yet?"

Shibiki hesitated. Mika seemed nice enough, but her sister was a piece of work. Was it even possible to show interest in the one and ward off the other at the same time? "Not yet," he answered.

"There's a little dumpling shop a few streets away. The pork ones are especially good. Would you care to join me?" She smiled sweetly and hopefully at him.

Shibiki shrugged. "Sure." _Might as well. It's not like I can go home for another two hours. _

Mika led the way. Shibiki admitted she was looking pretty cute today. Her hair was down in soft waves, and she wore a low-cut top and a short skirt. She smoothed the back of her skirt down with her hands, effectively drawing his attention to her backside, though he quickly caught himself and jerked his eyes away with a slight blush.

OOOOO

Was it Shino's imagination or was Hinata avoiding him even more than before? He met her gaze with a tilt of his head and raised a single eyebrow when she squeaked in alarm and scurried out of the room. Shino wondered if she knew that her sudden shyness and alarm was actually having the reverse effect than she probably intended. Instead of wanting to leave her alone, he had to tamp down the urge to pounce on her in front of everyone.

He walked nonchalantly out the door and followed her down the hallway. Sneaking up behind her in the kitchen, he wrapped his arms around her.

Hinata squealed and jumped.

"Someone's a bit jumpy today," Shino noted with a smile. Then a concerned look passed over his face. "Hinata, did you sleep alright?"

"It was fine," Hinata assured him. "It's just…" she broke off with a startled look in the direction of the hallway and dashed out the other way.

Shino raised an eyebrow at that. A few seconds later, his mother waddled in with his aunts. What in the world was going on?

OOOOO

Shibiki took a bite of one of his dumplings. "Mm. This is good." _Not quite as good as Hinata-chan's, but still pretty good_, he amended silently.

"I'm glad you like it," Mika beamed. Suddenly she looked down demurely, her eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks. She moistened her lips, and Shibiki found his eyes drawn to the tiny flash of her pink tongue. This time, he didn't look away in embarrassment. Instead, he let his eyes wander up to meet hers.

"That metal plate. That's a forehead protector right? That means you're a shinobi?"

Shibiki nodded, feeling a bit uncertain.

"I haven't actually known many shinobi," Mika continued. "Is it a difficult life?"

Shibiki shrugged with a little grin. "Sometimes. I like it, though."

"Is it exciting?"

"Sometimes," he chuckled.

"Do you have any really special things you can do?" Mika asked with wide-eyed excitement. _Can you detect a Supaichuu and keep it away from your kikaichuu?_ "Can you walk halfway up a tree without falling down?"

Again, Shibiki chuckled at her innocent eagerness.

"That's not really all that special," Shibiki admitted. "Almost all shinobi can do that."

Mika felt a tiny stab of unhappiness. She _was_ a shinobi, but she couldn't do things like that. Neither could Rika. The Inago Clan was composed of very strong fighters, but none of them ever trained with the two girls, and so both sisters were still technically Genin under the control of their father. Mika secretly suspected the men wanted to keep them weak so that they couldn't use the Supaichuu to take over the clan. She knew Rika suspected the same, but they never spoke of it aloud.

Shibiki's brow furrowed at the sight of her unhappy expression. "Mika-san?" he asked tentatively.

Mika started. She'd slipped and forgotten where she was and what she was supposed to be doing. "Y-You must think I'm stupid, going on like that," she said miserably.

"No!" Without thinking, he reached out and cupped her cheek with his palm. "I think you're very sweet!" A quick blush stained his cheeks, and he sheepishly dropped his hand and looked away. "I'm sorry, Mika-san. I didn't mean to be so forward."

Mika smiled. _Shibiki-san is a very nice man_. Her clan was not composed of nice men, and she rarely interacted with men outside of her clan. "I didn't mind," she replied softly.

Shibiki shyly glanced back at her and felt his heart warm at the sight of her sweet little smile.

OOOOO

Neji calmly strode into the kitchen to serve himself breakfast. Immediately, he felt the dark waves emanating from a brooding figure at the table. His eyes flicked to his uncle, who sat watching his daughter cautiously. Normally, Hanabi was the picture-perfect daughter around her father, so this strange mood was quite out of character.

Hiashi cleared his throat. "Daughter, is something wrong?"

"No, Father," Hanabi replied quietly without even looking up from where she was glaring at the food on her plate.

Hiashi watched her for several minutes, but Hanabi remained silent. _Ah. Perhaps she is having her first menstruation_, he thought uncomfortably. He sighed inwardly and wished once more that his wife was still with him. Hiashi was good at leading his clan and being a source of strength for the village of Konoha, however, he wasn't good with women, let alone little girls. He'd finally realized, years too late, where he'd gone wrong with his eldest.

During the wars in his younger days, he'd trained and pushed many young men to reach their full potential. He did it by being unyielding in his expectations of them; by _expecting_ the best from them, he taught them to _be_ the best for him. His expectations of the common Konoha soldier were already high, so the demands he made of his heir, the future leader of the strongest clan in the village, were exponentially high. In retrospect, this was not the best way to deal with a tiny three-year-old girl who was naturally shy and whose secret wish was to see her father smile at her with pride, just once.

It had been a wise choice to step back from her training. Yuhi Kurenai did not like him because she thought he was cold and callous. He didn't really care if she liked him or not, but he did appreciate the way she had managed to slowly coax his eldest out of her protective shell. He knew Hinata had reached a new level when she came home and explained that she had failed yet another mission. This had not surprised her father, for it was not her first failed mission. What had surprised and pleased him was the cheerful smile that accompanied her words and her pledge that she was going to work hard to become stronger.

After he and Neji had healed the rift between them, Neji started behaving differently toward his younger cousins. It started with the occasional polite "good morning" or a quiet "thank you" for the tea that Hinata always served him. Hiashi knew he'd made the right call to ask Neji to look out for her. Once Neji had let go of his resentment and hatred toward the Main Branch, he'd proven to be an excellent trainer for Hinata. Neji picked up everything Hiashi taught him, rarely needing a lesson explained more than once, and patiently worked with Hinata afterward. Hinata's taijutsu level was still below that of her cousin, but she was improving drastically. Nowadays, Neji was acting like the niisan Hinata had always thought of him as. It was Hiashi's secret hope that Neji, Hinata, and Hanabi would one day lead the Hyuuga Clan together. Recently, that dream seemed more attainable than ever.

For the longest time, Hiashi believed Hinata could never be the leader of the Hyuuga Clan. Hiashi had also despaired of his eldest ever learning a complicated, high-level Hyuuga technique such as the Kaiten. He'd watched from his study one afternoon (What good was it to be able to see through walls if not to keep an eye on your children?) as Neji explained how to perform the difficult technique that the young prodigy had somehow learned on his own years ago. Hiashi had expected Hinata to fail completely and eventually give up after a few weeks. To his immense shock, she'd spun gracefully on one foot and executed the technique perfectly, although with footing completely different from anything the Clan leader had ever seen. He'd felt a rare smile tug at his lips for the first time since his wife had been alive.

Neji stared at his uncle in horror. Hanabi was glaring daggers at her food. Hiashi, stern, stiff Hiashi, was _smiling_. Sure, it was a relatively _tiny_ smile, but this could only mean bad news. Had the Hyuuga elder council finally convinced their leader to arrange marriages for his two daughters? They'd been pressuring him for the last few years. What else could so thoroughly upset the youngest Hyuuga in front of her father?

Hiashi finished his tea and politely wished the two of them a good day. Then he went off to talk to his housekeeper about talking to Hanabi about…things.

"Neji-niisan," Hanabi began in a small voice. "When does neesan get back?"

"Not for another week," Neji answered with a hint of surprise in his voice. "She's really only been gone for a few days."

Hanabi nodded morosely.

Maybe Hanabi's foul humor had nothing to do with arranged marriages. _But Hinata-sama has been away on long missions before, so there's no reason for Hanabi to be mourning like a lost puppy. _Neji made a mental note to never reveal to Hanabi that he'd just compared her to a lost puppy.

Neji cleared his throat. "Hanabi-sama-"

"She's in danger!" Hanabi exploded suddenly as she pounded her fist into the table.

"What?" Neji jumped back to avoid the hot tea spilling over the edge of the table and quickly grabbed a cloth to soak up the majority of the mess.

"Hinata-neesan is in danger," Hanabi declared adamantly. "We have to go save her!"

Neji was instantly reminded of Uzumaki Naruto, but he pushed back that disturbing thought. "Why do you say that?"

Hanabi frowned and muttered something inaudible.

"What? I didn't catch that," Neji said as he finished cleaning up the mess.

"I just know."

"That's not very logical."

"It doesn't have to be logical! It's…it's…women's intuition!"

"There's no such thing," Neji replied calmly.

"I _know she's in _danger."

"Fine, but tell me _how_ you know."

Here Hanabi pinched her mouth shut and looked away. Her arms crossed protectively in front of her. Neji could tell that she was hiding some piece of information. That's why she wouldn't meet his eyes. She was also concerned and was protecting herself from rejection by putting up a wall between them.

"Hanabi-sama?"

"I dreamt about it last night," she muttered quietly.

"You had a nightmare?" Neji asked blankly. When his young cousin glared haughtily at him, he realized perhaps that hadn't been the right thing to say. "You had a scary dream?" he amended, only to be rewarded with pointedly narrowed eyes.

"Perhaps you are merely bored because your team is on enforced leave? Your subconscious mind might be trying to-"

"I'm not making it up!" Hanabi growled.

"I didn't say you were."

"Yes, you did!"

Neji sighed. It was like trying to reason with Guy-sensei. "Tell you what. I'll train with you tomorrow." _She's probably just feeling cooped up because her sensei is about to give birth and will be on leave for a month afterward. Hopefully this will help her release some of this pent-up energy. _

Hanabi paused with a surprised look on her face. Neji-niisan was offering to train with her? That was actually very generous of him. He usually only trained with Hinata-neesan, her father, or his own teammates. "I appreciate that, Neji-niisan. Honestly. But I really do think Hinata-neesan is in danger."

"But _why_, Hanabi-sama?"

"I told you."

"A dream?" Neji sighed.

"It was more than a dream," Hanabi argued. Frustration was evident in her voice. "Nevermind," she muttered before stalking out the door.

OOOOO

He was _pretty_ sure he knew what this was about. At the same time, he wasn't entirely sure. Hinata was as skittish as a colt whenever she thought someone might actually see them together.

"Hinata," he whispered into her ear as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. "There's no one around. Besides, _my_ family can't actually see through walls."

Shino smiled against her throat. Although he knew it by heart, he could never get enough of her scent. It was like a powerful drug calling to him. He could now truly relate to his bugs that felt the pull of the female kikaichuu's scent from miles away. He flicked his tongue against her warm throat and nearly growled when she shivered in his arms.

"Sh-Shino, no!" Hinata gasped. She pulled out of reach, red-faced and out of breath. "I-I…you-" she broke off suddenly when she heard footsteps in the hall and Shibi's deep voice. "I have to go!"

Hinata raced out the door past a startled Shiribi and Shibi and disappeared around the corner. Shino frowned unhappily. A strange knot gripped his stomach._ Did Hinata change her mind? Is she…ashamed of being with me?_

OOOOO

Shibiki shyly straightened his jacket before sitting down beside Mika on the couch of the place where she was staying. After lunch, the two had wondered around town for a bit before she'd invited him back to her place. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea to be here, but…perhaps thinking of all of the girls he'd loved and lost had made him feel a bit lonely. He cleared his throat nervously and inquired politely about her family.

Mika stiffened slightly. "My family…"

"I'm sorry," Shibiki apologized quickly. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"It's not that," Mika insisted. Actually, it was exactly that. "I just…seeing the love and closeness of your family made me realize how much I've been missing."

Shibiki's uncomfortable expression melted into a look of concerned tenderness. "Mika-chan…" He cradled her face with his hands and bent forward. Slowly and quietly—giving her ample time to pull away—he bent forward and placed a chase kiss of comfort on her waiting lips.

OOOOO

Hinata checked the seals on the windows once more. They were fine, just as they had been the fourth, third, second, and first time she'd checked. A familiar presence appeared beside her. It was a good thing no one was in the courtyard or they might have remarked on the oddity of two people having a conversation on the side of a building.

"Hinata, we need to talk," Shino said quietly.

"Sh-Shino-kun…what did you want to talk about?" Hinata whispered absently as her eyes darted around the courtyard. It seemed clear. Unfortunately for Hinata, she hadn't bothered to scan the hall right on the other side of the window. Within the shadows of the building, Shibi stood listening. He kept his chakra completely masked.

"Are you…have you changed your mind?"

Hinata stopped scanning when she heard the sadness in her teammate's voice. "What?"

"Are you…if…Hinata, if you don't want me…I mean, don't want to be with me…" Shino couldn't bring himself to say that he would let her go. He didn't think he could. He certainly didn't want to.

Unseen, Shibi frowned with disappointment. It didn't sound like things were going well between Shino and Hinata, and he'd seen for himself that Hinata was avoiding Shino assiduously.

"Shino-kun, what are you talking about?" Hinata's distress was evident. "Of course I want to be with you!"

Shibi's eyebrows shot up at that.

"You're avoiding me, Hinata," Shino pointed out with a small, hurt voice.

"N-No! I-It's just…"

"What? What else could it be?"

"I-I-I'm afraid tha-that Shibi-san and the others…"

"Father?" Shino was visibly shocked. "You're afraid of my father?!"

"No! I mean, yes! I mean…Oh!"

Shibi frowned again. Hinata was afraid of him? She'd seemed rather comfortable with the whole clan, but perhaps he'd said something to upset her?

"Shino-kun…I'm on duty!" Hinata exclaimed. She looked at Shino with an expression that said this was all the explanation he needed.

Shino did not agree with that. He stared at her intently and tried to follow her logic. There was none. "Huh?"

"I," Hinata began. Then she suddenly pulled him close and whispered. "Shino-kun, I'm technically on a mission! Shibi-san has been so kind to me. W-what if he's disappointed that I-I'm not doing my job? What if your f-family doesn't like me anymore because they think I-I'm _taking advantage_ of you? I-If they see us k-k-kissing, i-it m-might make them a-angry…"

Shino continued to stare at Hinata intently for several more moments. "That's ridiculous," he finally managed. He walked over to her and covered her mouth in a firm, possessive kiss.

Suddenly, loud, low, rumbling laughter shook the wall beneath them slightly. It died down after a few moments. Shibi, the picture of calm and collected, leaned out the window to address the startled young couple. Only a little twitch of his lips revealed the amusement he was burying deep inside.

"Hinata, you have the Aburame Clan leader's permission to kiss Shino as much as you like," he said, as though making an official decree. "Shino is quite capable of preventing you from 'taking advantage of him.' Just don't do anything that will have Hiashi or that cousin of yours hunting _him_ down."

Hinata's jaw dropped open in mortified astonishment. She promptly fainted and dropped like a rock into Shino's waiting and amused embrace.

OOOOO

Mika gasped for breath as she pulled away from Shibiki's heated kiss and laid her head against his chest. The kikaichuu. She could feel them under his skin, vibrating along with the sweet tension filling their host. This close to his chest, she could even make out the gentle, low hum of a million tiny bodies shifting.

"Shibiki-san, what is that sound?" she asked innocently.

Shibiki froze. _It was going so well_, he sighed unhappily.

"Did you know that certain shinobi families have skills and techniques that they pass down over the generations?"

"Mm-hmm," she nodded sweetly against the firm muscles under her cheek.

"My family uses bugs," he admitted with a faint note of detached defeat in his voice. "They live inside of me. In return, they also follow commands that I give them." Shibiki mentally braced himself for the scream of terror.

Instead, the woman draped across his chest murmured in a sleepy, seductive voice, "Really? Can I see them?"

**Author's Note:**

**Special thanks to Kaotic312 for your words of wisdom! I was having trouble deciding if I wanted to up the rating or keep the story at T.**

**The Hinata/Shino moments of this chapter seem pretty fluffy, but at the same time, I think Hinata really would have issues with public displays of affection, at least in the beginning. Plus, they had to have **_**some**_** screen time in this chapter!**

**I suppose I was in an introspective mood because there are a few long monologues in this chapter. Usually Hiashi is just the cold father figure that serves the plot. Perhaps reading Kaotic312's "Marry My Father Please" has warmed me up to him as a character. **

**Author wants input: should Shibiki eventually end up with Mika or not? Originally, they were definitely not going to be together, but now they're being all cuddly. Sometimes I feel like the story writes itself behind my back…**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden. Technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without regard to Shippuuden. The Konoha 11 are now 16ish, but I wouldn't call this AU, so I'll call it OS (for Outside of Shippuuden).**

**Thank you to all of my encouraging, wonderful reviewers. You all make my day. **

OOOOO

Chapter 20

OOOOO

Kaoru and Kinako sighed when Shino brought Hinata's unconscious form into the family room. Again. The rest of the clan members present were finally growing accustomed to seeing Hinata lying unconscious on the couch.

"She fainted again?" Kinako remarked with dismay.

"Yes," Shino replied cheerfully.

His mother blinked and studied his face closely. There was a tiny tinge of pink on her son's normally pale cheeks. Then, instead of placing his teammate on the couch, her usually formal and proper son sat down on a loveseat and settled Hinata on his lap. The big clue, however, was when Shibi walked in with a decidedly smug look on his face.

Little Shinomaru walked over, placed his elbows on the couch, and thoughtfully rested his chin on his hands. Hinata's long, dark hair fanned against the armrest. Her pale, porcelain face looked serene and elegant. "Hinata-neesan looks just like a princess," he finally decided.

Shino nodded his silent agreement.

"Why is Hinata-neesan sleeping? Did she not rest well last night?" Shinomaru inquired politely.

Kinako, who had been inwardly sighing and squealing over the adorable sight, suddenly raised her own eyebrows to the roof.

"Don't worry. She's fine," Shino replied smoothly.

Shinomaru reached out to lay his small hand on top of Hinata's. The slight pressure roused her from her faint, and she blinked her eyes open to see his concerned, little face looking back at her. When he saw that she was awake, his worried look of concentration turned into a big grin.

"Hinata-neesan, are you feeling better now?"

"I'm fine," she smiled back at him. She gave a little yawn and a lazy stretch before realizing she was lying on her teammate. Hinata made a little "Eep!" sound and scrambled to sit up properly. She shifted off of Shino's lap, and he let her escape, though he raised his arm and let it lie across the back of the couch, right behind her shoulders.

Shinomaru went to fetch the bag of his favorite books and pulled out the one with the blue cover. Shino shifted just enough so the small boy could squeeze in cozily between himself and Hinata. Shinomaru knew the story well enough times to recite it by heart, so Hinata and Shino listened patiently as he pointed at the pictures and told them about the adventure.

When Shinomaru was finished he laid his head against Hinata's side. Suddenly, he looked up at her with a smile.

"Hinata-neesan."

"Hmm? What is it Shinomaru-kun?"

"I love you!"

Hinata's mouth formed a tiny O of surprise, and she visibly melted. She scooped Shinomaru into her lap, gave him a gentle squeeze, and kissed his soft cheek. "I love you, too, Shinomaru-kun."

Shino wondered at the ease with which his tiny cousin had said those three important words. He hadn't quite worked up the courage to say that to Hinata…yet.

Shinomaru turned his attention to Shino and looked up at him expectantly. Whenever he told his mother and father that he loved them, his father would always copy him first. It was their little tradition. So now it was Shino-niisan's turn.

_What?_ Shino thought as he looked down at him, his eyes widening slightly.

"Shino-niisan, I love you!" Shinomaru said happily.

Shino smiled. _Ah, so that was it._ "I love you, too, Shinomaru."

The littlest kikaichuu user kept looking at him expectantly. Then he turned to Hinata for a moment as she bent forward to pull the book bag in front of her. His calm gaze returned to look up at Shino.

_Oh. _Shino's mouth suddenly went dry.

"Kaoru," Kinako, across the room from the cute couple, whispered behind her hand, "did you tell Shinomaru to say that?"

"No," Kaoru shook her head with a smile, "though I'm going to buy him another book as a reward."

Shinomaru looked at his niisan, then at his neesan, and back again. He gently prodded his wise and uncharacteristically tongue-tied cousin.

Shino coughed. His cheeks were now decidedly pink.

"Your turn, Shino-niisan," Shinomaru prompted patiently.

Hinata looked up from where she'd been rummaging through the other books. "Shino-kun, did you want to read the next one?" she asked obliviously.

Shino cleared his throat. "I…I love you, Hinata."

Hinata squeaked and dropped the book on the floor. Unconsciously, she tapped her pointer fingers together. Poke, poke. Poke.

Shino watched in fascination. He'd seen Hinata do the finger-poke thing many times—always for Naruto. This was the first time she'd ever done it for _him_. For some strange reason, his male pride purred within him, and a warm feeling blossomed in his chest.

"I-I-I…I love you, too, Shino-kun," Hinata returned quietly.

Shinomaru smiled contentedly and selected another book. He calmly began another story as Shino and Hinata sent each other shy, loving glances over the top of his head.

OOOOO

Neji watched from the shadows as Hanabi glared at the Aburame compound from the roof of the bakery. The young girl had kept her post for the last two hours, but no one had gone in or come out. The new jonin sighed and moved to her side. He let his suppressed chakra flare so that he wouldn't startle her. Hanabi didn't even look at him when he sat down beside her. She'd actually spotted him an hour ago.

"Tell me about your dream," Neji prompted as gently as he could.

Hanabi sized him up quietly. He seemed sincere, but it was difficult for her to share her fears with anyone, let alone him. Neji was always calm, cool, and controlled. He believed in logic and doing things by the book. The Hyuuga prodigy was exactly the sort of person she would expect to scoff at her dream as childish. _Hinata-neesan would understand_, she thought, _but Hinata-neesan is the reason I'm up on this roof at nine in the morning._

"I had a number of dreams. Some of them seemed fairly unconnected, but they all related to Hinata-neesan being in danger," she shrugged.

"Can you be more specific? Sometimes what appears in our dreams is actually an unconscious manifestation of some other personal concern."

Hanabi sighed. He was going to laugh at her. She just knew it.

"I dreamt Hinata-neesan was alone in the woods somewhere. There were people chasing her, hunting her down. She fell. I wanted to protect her, but I couldn't move."

Neji nodded. "That's not really an uncommon dream. Sometimes Tenten has dreams like those when Lee goes on a dangerous mission without us."

"Really?" Hanabi sounded a bit surprised.

He nodded, feeling proud of himself for being able to assuage her fears.

"I kept waking up and falling back asleep only to have more dreams like that."

"Hanabi-sama," Neji began gently. "Hinata is kind and sweet, but she is also a very strong kunoichi. She can take care of herself. Besides, she's surrounded by the entire Aburame clan."

"_That_ dream was the worst," Hanabi muttered darkly. "It was too realistic."

Neji frowned with concern. Hanabi was worried about the Aburame clan? Sure, many people thought the Aburames were a bit cold and aloof, but compared to the elders of their own clan, the Aburames were practically warm and cuddly people.

"Shino would never let anything bad happen to Hinata. Besides, she's his teammate, so the Aburames wouldn't do anything to hurt her."

"No, not like that," Hanabi sighed wearily.

"Can you be more specific, then?"

"Class W explosive tags with a pressure-sensitive time-delay mechanism."

"Um…" _That's a little too specific_, Neji amended silently.

"There was a spy," Hanabi began slowly. "He used a henge to sneak into the compound dressed as a deliveryman in the middle of the night. He looked suspicious, but since no one was around it didn't matter. Then he set up the explosives in every room. It was actually a slipshod job because he was in a hurry and people would be waking up in a few hours. After that, he snuck out of the village in his delivery disguise."

"…That…That is very specific."

Hanabi shrugged again, bracing herself for the derision to come, but instead her cousin remained silent. She chanced a glance in his direction and realized his Byakugan was activated.

As Hanabi had recounted her last dream, Neji had felt a kernel of uneasiness settle in his stomach. For the most part he didn't believe in strange portents, but in the shinobi world it was imperative to listen to your instincts. Often it meant the difference between life and death.

Neji scanned the Aburame compound. Beside him, Hanabi also activated her bloodline limit. A whisper of cold slid down his spine. Neji had experience searching the entire village of Konoha for explosive tags. It was the first mission he'd ever completed with Hinata, and they'd grown closer because of it. He easily spotted the small tags and the chakra strings linking each one. There were enough explosive tags in that one block to blow the Aburame compound sky-high.

"You were right, Hanabi-sama. Hinata-sama is in danger."

OOOOO

"Achoo!" Hinata sneezed daintily.

"Oooh! Someone's talking about you, Hinata-chan," remarked one of Shino's many cousins.

Hinata responded with a tiny, shy noise.

"Are you all right?" Shino's grandmother, Aburame Iiko, inquired solicitously. "You are not catching a cold, are you, dear?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

"It's getting a bit chilly, isn't it?" Iiko-baasan remarked.

Shino, who thought the weather had turned brisk but not unpleasantly so, stood immediately and left the room. His grandmother smiled up at him when he returned with several large blankets and tenderly tucked them around her.

"Shino," she chuckled, "you are very sweet, but I haven't gotten _that_ old and weak."

Neither confirming nor denying her statement, he kissed her wrinkled cheek and went to sit back down beside Hinata. He had just slipped an arm around the blushing heiress when his aunts tromped down the hall having returned from their shopping trip.

"…believe how poor the selection was today!" Kaoru exclaimed.

"Well, they said there had been some sort of crop problem nearby, so we can't really take it out on them," Karimi reminded her.

"Still," Kaoru huffed.

"Trouble, sweetie?" Shiribi asked when his disgruntled wife rounded the corner.

"Oh, it was nothing," she waved off.

OOOOO

Shibiki swallowed nervously as Mika unzipped his coat and pushed the lapels away.

"They're inside of you?" she whispered. She trailed her fingers along his sternum and fanned her hand over his ribs.

He was a bit ticklish and twitched with a little gasp under her feather-light caresses.

"How do they come out?" she wondered.

Shibiki swallowed hard and bit back a groan. "T-Tenketsu," he managed.

"Tenketsu?" Mika repeated diligently. She was being very careful not to reveal her shinobi background.

"The tenketsu are tiny holes in the body. Everyone has them, really, but only shinobi develop their chakra enough to use them."

"Are these holes in a certain place or do the bugs come out from anywhere?"

"They are located over the whole body."

"May I see one of your bugs?"

"Um…are you sure you want to?" he asked hesitantly.

She nodded eagerly.

Shibiki called a single bug onto his fingertip and held it up for Mika's inspection.

Mika leaned forward and smiled. The so-called "destruction beetles" were quite cute up close, especially compared to the large, angry bodies of the locusts that her clan derived its name from.

"I think it's cute."

Shibiki blinked in amazement. This was the first time a girl had ever told him his bugs were _cute_.

"Do you have to send out one at a time?" she asked innocently, knowing full well that the kikaichuu probably swarmed out of their hosts, just as the Inago Clan's locusts did.

While holding his breath, Shibiki directed a line of bugs to march across his arm. When Mika's eyes sparkled with interest and appreciation, he knew he was falling in love.

OOOOO

After sending Hanabi to fetch the Hokage immediately, Neji turned to flag down the nearest Anbu operative. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a mask and dark blue hair on a nearby rooftop.

Uzuki Yugao stopped in her tracks when the Hyuuga boy suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Hyuuga-san, I am just about to report for duty, so unless this is urgent?"

Neji warily eyed the curious stares and whispers from the crowd below. He stepped close to her and whispered directly in her ear. "I don't want to alarm the people below, but the Aburame compound has been compromised. I've sent word to Hokage-sama, but the area may need to be evacuated immediately, and no one should be allowed into the compound."

"Compromised?" The frown was evident in her voice. "Have you spotted enemy-nin within the building?"

Neji glanced back at the crowd to find several people actively pointing at them. He turned to block his next words from view and again leaned close to the Anbu operative. "It is currently empty, but almost every room and hallway has been booby trapped with explosives."

"Only the Aburame compound?" Yugao whispered quickly, the mask doing its job of hiding her lips from view. "Are you sure other homes have not been compromised? This could be another large-scale invasion."

"I have reason to suspect that the Aburames are being targeted specifically."

"Very well. I will gather a team immediately and we will evacuate the area. In the meantime, can the main doors be sealed without setting off the trap?"

Neji scanned with his Byakugan. He nodded.

"Here. These are warding seals. I'm sure you've used them before."

Again, Neji nodded. Yugao stealthily slipped him the seals. It looked no more than a brief clasping of hands to the pedestrians below. Then she was gone.

OOOOO

Tenten checked her buns in the mirror. Same as always. Her gaze fell to a small pink tub on her dresser. She grinned and applied a little of the mixture to her lips. Would Neji notice? Even with the all-seeing Hyuuga eyes, sometimes boys could be oblivious to things like that.

A tall man slipped through her open doorway and leaned back against the doorjamb with his arms crossed over his chest. His dark brown hair and eyes matched hers exactly, though his hair was cropped short and mostly covered by a bandanna-style head protector. The man filled out his Anbu uniform nicely with his tall, muscular frame. He cleared his throat to alert his little sister of his presence.

Tenten looked up absent-mindedly. With a grin of recognition, she ran across the room, jumped into the man's arms, and hugged him around the neck.

"Yonda-niisan! When did you get back from your mission?"

"Just now. I hear you've got a boyfriend," he responded nonchalantly.

"Hai," she replied with a kiss on his cheek. Yonda kept his arms around her loosely in an affectionate embrace. Tenten settled back onto her feet and snuggled against his chest for a moment.

"I hear he's coming to dinner tonight."

"Hai!"

"I hear unsettling reports that he is a cold-hearted bastard that killed his own sister and that he is a womanizer of the worst kind with three illegitimate children in several foreign villages and two on the way within Konoha itself.

Tenten cocked her head with an amused quirk playing over her lips. "He's an only child, and he's never even gone on a date before, as far as I know."

"Hm. How well do you know him? Just because you don't know, doesn't mean he isn't a womanizer."

"He's my teammate, so we've known each other since the Academy and for many years since then."

"Not the green one?" Yonda grimaced slightly.

"No! Hyuuga Neji. Ack! Don't even _suggest_ something like that."

"Is he good to you?"

"Well, yeah. We _are_ teammates."

"But is he good to you as a young man should be to a young woman? Is he respectful? He hasn't tried to make any moves on you, has he?" Yonda frowned.

"Neji isn't like that, niisan. You'll really like him."

"Hn."

"No, really! He's very responsible and respectful, especially to me."

"Well, alright. Since you seem to like him so much, I promise to withhold judgment until I can meet him in person," he offered begrudgingly.

"You would have done that anyway. You're not the brash one in this family. That's Hachiru's job."

Yonda shrugged. He wanted Tenten to think he wouldn't do anything brash, but she was the baby of the family and the only girl. All nine of her brothers were very protective of her. It's just that it didn't show on a daily basis because she'd never seemed interested in boys before now, not like the village's kunoichi that were forever fawning over the "cool" guys like the Uchiha brat. She was a very special girl, and Yonda hoped her teammate realized just how important she was.

OOOOO

Neji finished putting up the last of the seals on the doors. By circling around the compound, he managed to keep anyone from realizing what he was doing. To those milling around on any given street, it looked like he had politely knocked on the door, waited for an answer, and then strolled away.

The only trouble now was that inner courtyard with the slightly taller tower in the center. There was a note in the center of the tower that could be set off if anyone got within 10 feet. Sure enough, as Neji watched, a genin girl about 14-years-old leapt from a building across the street on a direct path to structure.

OOOOO

Nakamura Akemi wondered idly what her team's new D-rank mission would be. She and her teammates were quite good with plants, so perhaps they were working in the Konoha greenhouses again. Akemi flicked her wavy blond hair out of her emerald eyes. She was running a bit late, so she figured she'd cut over the Aburame compound. They never minded, and the butterflies in the gardens were so beautiful, even at a run. She could already see the small "Tower" at the center of the compound.

Akemi used a small push of chakra to get her right over the street and onto the roof of what she thought of as the Aburame tower. Halfway across the street, she collided with a solid object. Arms wrapped around her like steel cords, and some tiny part of Akemi's working mind pointed out that the solid object in view looked suspiciously like a masculine chest. She felt her body being propelled backwards, and a small gasp escaped her throat even as she clung to the light-colored material in front of her.

Her footing was off when they landed in an alleyway, and she fully expected an unpleasant conference with the concrete, but those strong arms held her fast and supported her. Akemi's eyes trailed upward. First, the chest. She and it had gotten quite close and personal—the light scent of sandalwood and cinnamon. Next came a handsome jaw and warm-looking lips. Then a perfect, straight nose. Last of all…the signature pale eyes that were the mark of Konoha's most powerful shinobi clan, the Hyuugas.

Those eyes looked down at her carefully.

"I'm sorry, miss, but you will need to go around this area," he informed her politely.

She gazed up at him and nodded very slowly.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he frowned and looked genuinely concerned.

Akemi slowly shook her head.

The young man gently took her arm and led her back onto the street where people had stopped to stare. He leaned close to her ear, his breath sending shivers down her spine, and whispered, "Please do not speak of what I said to you."

Akemi blinked and nodded. Then he gave her a gentle push in the right direction, and she stumbled to go and meet her teammates, though not before glancing once more at the handsome Hyuuga boy.

………………………………………**Author's Notes:**

**A lot of this was set-up for future stuff, so I apologize if it seems a bit disconnected. **

**Hope you liked the Shinomaru/Shino/Hinata confession scene.**

**I thought it might be helpful to repost the cast list.**

**The confusing cast so far:**

………**Shibi, Shino's Dad…………married to Kinako…..children are Shino and Shibiki**

………**Shiribi, Shino's uncle………married to Kaoru……child is Shinomaru**

………**Shino(well, yeah)**

………**Shibiki, Shino's brother**

………**Shoromaru, Shino's uncle/Shibi's cousin; sons are as follows**

………**Sora…………married to Karimi………….child is Soramaru**

………**Soru…………married to Karime…………child is Sorumaru**

………**Sori.…………married to Karika………….child is Kariko**

**Zurui means "sly, cunning" and Ii means "good". So Great Aunt Zuruiko Ishitaka is the sly one and Iiko Aburame is the good, kindly sister that is actually Shino's grandmother. **


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. When you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

**Takes place sometime before Shippuuden. Technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without regard to Shippuuden. The Konoha 11 are now 16ish, but I wouldn't call this AU, so I'll call it OS (for Outside of Shippuuden).**

**Reviews Creative Energy**

OOOOO

Chapter 21

OOOOO

Mika gasped for breath as she pulled away from Shibiki. He grinned happily down at her and bent his head forward to kiss her neck.

"M-maybe we'd be more comfortable in the bedroom?" she managed through a breathless moan.

Shibiki stilled and felt a powerful blush paint his cheeks. He hadn't expected things to go so fast. He'd been with women before, but somehow this was different, more important. While he wanted Mika, he knew it might be a better idea to wait. That was the proper way to treat a lady. It was their first date, after all.

"I don't want to rush you," he explained quietly, though he softened his words with tender kisses. Her lips, her cheeks, her temples, the tip of her nose—every part of her called to him for attention.

Mika looked intently at him for several moments, and Shibiki wondered if he'd somehow said the wrong thing.

"You really are a nice man," she commented wistfully. Then she smiled, though her eyes appeared to be shimmering slightly.

_Oh, no. Does she think I'm trying to let her down easy? I'm not…I mean…_

"Mika, I really like you!" Shibiki hurried to say. "I…I want…"

"Shh," she hushed him gently with a fingertip over his lips. "I know. I can tell. Oh…um…I'm just going to go freshen up. I'll be right back," she said with a sudden coy expression.

Shibiki's cheeks burned even hotter than before. He briefly wondered if Hinata's blushes were contagious, for he'd never blushed so much in his entire life.

OOOOO

Hanabi stood quietly outside of the Hokage's office. She'd just been dismissed. A warning would be sent to Hinata-neesan via courier ninja. Since there were so many Leaf shinobi already there, Tsunade-sama did not see why a support team should be sent. Hanabi frowned, the wheels and gears turning swiftly in her mind.

OOOOO

Mika dabbed several drops of the perfume on her neck below her earlobes. Then she carefully stoppered the bottle. She looked at herself in the mirror for several long moments. Could she go through with this? Was it even right anymore? As if in answer, the light glanced off the mirror, and for a moment, she thought she was looking into her sister's eyes. The clan would punish them severely if they failed. She couldn't bear to see Rika hurt, even if Shibiki was the nicest man she'd ever met.

Shibiki smiled shyly when Mika returned to the living room with two glasses of amber liquid in wine glasses.

"In my family, it is customary to share this home-made beverage with loved ones," she explained. "My grandmother made this batch herself."

"Why are they different colors?"

Mika looked down in embarrassment and chuckled at her feet. "I'm kind of a wimp, so I have to water down my portion or mix it with fruit juice if there's any around." As if in demonstration, she took a tiny sip of her lighter drink and two spots of color immediately appeared on her cheeks.

Shibiki experienced a strange sliding of perception. Suddenly, he couldn't look away from Mika's body, and his eyes raked her lithe form hungrily. He swallowed, and his bugs started buzzing with a new and unusual agitation. For a moment, he couldn't hear anything except for their dull roar, but he hushed them and his mind grew silent once more, focused on the elegant lines of Mika's creamy skin.

"Here," she whispered. "It's a bit sweet, but it's nice."

Shibiki took the proffered beverage and downed it in one gulp, never once taking his eyes from her.

OOOOO

Karika walked in with a rolled-up mat. She unfurled it with a flourish and beamed happily at her family.

"Hinata, why don't we go for a walk?" Shino hurriedly suggested.

"What is that?" Hinata asked at the same time. Her eyes wandered curiously over the green, yellow, blue, and red circles.

"Nothing," Shino assured her. "There's a pretty pond a mile away. I found it when we were looking for the lost knives."

"Come on, Shino, you mustn't be antisocial around your family," Karika admonished.

Shino sighed. "But Karika-bas-"

"_Shiinoo_…" Karika loomed over him ominously.

"Karika-neesan!" he amended quickly. "I'm not sure this is a game Hinata would enjoy."

"Hm?" Karika cocked her head at the young Hyuuga. "Hinata, show me you can touch your toes."

Hinata bent in half without hesitation and lay her hands flat over her feet. She just happened to be standing right in front of Shino at the time, however, so a light blush graced his cheeks when the material of her pants stretched tight with the movement and her jacket slipped down to reveal several inches of her cream-colored lower back. He averted his eyes, but not quite in time.

"Oh, I'm sure she'll be fine," Karika smirked. "And since your guest is playing, you have to play, too, Shino."

Shino bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from groaning. He hated this game, and they always made him play every year.

"The instructions on the back say it's easier if only four people play at a time," he attempted hopefully. "Hinata and I wouldn't want to take anyone's place."

Karika waved away his excuse. "That's only if you don't want to share spots, but we love sharing in this family, so it's fine."

"No!" her sister argued. "No sharing, or it's too easy!

Inwardly, Shino sighed. He really hated this game. Hinata, however, seemed intrigued, and he watched his teammate as she listened carefully to the instructions. Whenever she listened to people, she always had this sweetly attentive look on her face. It made him want to kiss her.

"Round one!" Karika crowed. "Karimi, Karime, Kaoru, Sora, Soru and Shiribi. Don't worry, Hinata. It'll make sense once you've watched a round or two. No sharing spots. Karimi's fault."

A few minutes later, Shino's aunts and uncles were in an undignified tangle in the middle of the room and Hinata was caught in a vicious fit of giggles. Karime and Soru fell first, followed by Kaoru, Karime, and Sora. Shiribi was the only one left crouching. He sighed and straightened carefully.

"Second round!" Karimi announced, having taken over her sister's place as official spinner. "Karika, Sori, Hinata, Shino, Shinomaru, and Tachoro."

Shinomaru went first because he was the youngest and smallest. Hinata went next because it was her first time. Shino went last and set his foot on an open blue spot with a sigh.

A minute later, everyone was still in the game. Then Sori "accidentally" blew on the back of his wife's knee and caused her to jump and shriek. Karika's foot lashed out and hit his wrist, and the two tumbled to the mat. Luckily, Shinomaru was shielded by Shino's tall form, and Tachoro merely suffered a light elbow to the ribs. Tachoro slipped as he tried to get to a spot beyond the other three players and rolled to avoid squashing his little cousin. He smiled sheepishly and dusted himself off.

"Hinata, how come the spinner never lands on hands for you?" Karimi wondered. That's just weird. I'm gonna spin it again. Aha! Right hand on blue!"

Hinata had, by this time, ended up facing the edge of the mat with several of Shino's limbs going across the board right behind her. She glanced behind her to the left and right before shrugging and bending completely backwards to plant her palm on the closest blue circle. Shino's breath caught in his throat. Hinata was bent completely over his body. Her long, dark hair pooled against his chest. After another cycle, Hinata's hand dropped down to reach the yellow circle behind her, which just happened to place her slim arm right between his thighs.

Shinomaru's arms finally gave out, and he flumped onto his bottom before catching his breath and leaving the board.

"Okay, I give up," Shino conceded.

"No!" Karika yelled. "You have to play until one of you falls. Those are the rules! Don't you even _think_ of pretending to fall, Shino."

Shino sighed. After another minute of turns, he and Hinata were at an impasse. With only two people, there wasn't really competition for spots, and Hinata's natural flexibility made up for any other potential difficulties. He was facing away from Hinata now, so it was a surprise to him when he turned and reached over for the red spot only to find his teammate stretched out beneath him. Hinata's arms supported her weight and she giggled up at Shino's surprised face. He was basically holding a push up above her. If he dropped just a few inches, she would be pressed up against the length of him.

"I think my arms are getting tired," he whispered.

"Really?" Hinata squeaked. It was impossible to miss the husky tone of his voice.

Shino dropped imperceptibly, inch by inch, until Hinata could feel the heat of him radiating through her clothes. Her face glowing, Hinata lowered in response until her back hit the floor and a tiny squeak escaped her lips.

With a hidden smirk, Shino lowered his head to whisper into her ear, "Maybe this game isn't so bad after all."

OOOOO

Neji stopped abruptly, kicked his foot up, and bent quickly backwards to avoid triggering a hidden note. His right hand landed on the floor behind him to keep him steady. It was a much more complicated looking seal. The Hyuuga prodigy straightened himself with a frown. He'd almost missed it. With a sigh, he realized he'd been looking for the obvious. He would have to do a more thorough sweep and look for what was there, not what he thought would be there. It was careless thinking that got people blown up.

The note itself was impressive. For some reason, the spy had wanted to make sure of this room. Neji looked up and took in his surroundings more closely. It was a large, elegantly decorated bedroom. At the same time, it was furnished for comfort. On the dresser were several pictures. Shino's face caught his attention first. Next, he recognized Aburame Shibi in his wedding photo. _Ah, this must be the clan leader's bedroom_, Neji concluded. _That explains the extra precautions._ Still, he would do the more thorough sweep anyway.

OOOOO

"Ahem," Shiribi coughed delicately. "Shino, I think you win because Hinata's back is on the ground."

Shino stood and helped his red-faced teammate to her feet before straightening his jacket and pushing his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose.

"That was fun," Hinata admitted shyly. "It reminds me of a game Ino-chan thought up at her sleepover.

"Oh? What's that?" Tachoro inquired politely.

"She found some big book with pictures in it. There were all sorts of difficult poses. The object of the game was to see who could copy the most difficult positions."

Sori's eyes shot wide open. He shared a wide-eyed glance with his wife, who quickly brought her fingers to her lips in a hushing motion.

"Did…was there more than one person in a given pose?"

"Sometimes, although Ino described most of the poses so we would have our hands free. I think it must have once been part of a shinobi training manual because some of the poses involved walls and ceilings," Hinata continued innocently.

Shino secretly gulped and tried to picture Lee and Guy-sensei having a stupid contest. Unfortunately, those images kept morphing into Hinata twisted around his torso in an interesting way while being suspended from the ceiling.

"Well, um, why don't we play another game now?" Karika hurriedly suggested with an embarrassed grin.

OOOOO

Mika bit her lip hard. Even under the influence of the Lover's Blindness perfume, Shibiki had been so tender with his caresses and kisses. _Enough_. She'd made her choice, and she would live with it. At least this way he would be spared. She could do nothing for his family, and he would hate her, but he would still be alive.

OOOOO

It took Neji three hours to fully dismantle the lattice of chakra bombs within the Aburame courtyard. The main work had only taken an hour because most of the notes were in plain sight, of the Byakugan, that is. A good shinobi looks beneath the underneath, however, so he made sure to scan carefully for better concealed traps. He found three more, so it was worth the effort.

The Anbu captain was waiting for him outside of the compound. "Hyuuga-san, were you successful?"

"Yes," Neji sighed. Using the Byakugan for three hours straight had drained him a bit, and he could use a rest.

"Are those the notes? I'll have my squad dispose of them," Yugao offered.

"Thank you."

"You should report to the Hokage immediately."

"Ah," Neji agreed. "I will." Then he bowed low. "Thank you for your assistance in this delicate matter."

Behind her mask, Yugao raised an amused eyebrow at him. These Hyuugas really were a formal lot. "It's my job," she shrugged.

Neji nodded once more before disappearing to make his report.

OOOOO

"Why are the C and D-rank missions piling up now?" Tsunade grumbled.

"At least the last assignment went smoothly," Shizune pointed out.

"Yeah, yeah." A knock sounded at the door, and Tsunade yelled, "Come in!"

Neji entered quietly.

"Neji, is the Aburame place clean now?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

"Good. I've sent word to the Aburames to be on the lookout. Go get some rest."

With a polite nod, Neji made his exit.

OOOOO

Neji sighed as he slipped into the hot bath and massaged his scalp with his fingertips. He dunked himself completely before sitting up and shaking the water from his face. Hinata-sama would be fine. She was strong and help was on the way. So why did he still feel uneasy? _Ridiculous_, he scoffed at himself as he reached for the soap and began lathering his chest.

After a light, solitary meal, Neji retired early and slipped between his cool sheets. Things were quiet and peaceful, and Hinata-sama would be fine. She was surrounded by powerful shinobi and was a notable kunoichi in her own right. He immediately felt the heaviness of sleep calling to him and drifted off gratefully.

Less than an hour later, Neji bolted upright. Peace and quiet. Ever since he'd arrived home, there'd been peace and quiet. Given his recent days, this could only mean that Hanabi-sama was up to no good.

He scanned the compound for her familiar chakra signature. Nothing. He widened the radius and scanned again and again. Nothing. She wasn't in Konoha, as far as he could tell. Neji sighed only a moment before leaping to gather his gear and get dressed.

OOOOO

"Neji? What are you doing here so late?" Tsunade wondered.

"Hanabi-sama is not in the village."

"Right, she's on a mission."

"Oh," Neji sighed with relief. "She didn't leave a note, so I assumed… never mind, I apologize for interrupting you, Hokage-sama."

"Wait, you were concerned just now. Why?"

Neji hesitated. "Well…Hanabi-sama can be rather impetuous at times. When I realized she was not in the village, I thought she might have gone to try and help Hinata-sama on her own."

"She's on a simple delivery mission. I thought she'd leave tomorrow morning, but she seemed eager to get going. I've got the paper right here somewhere. Here it is. Almost forgot to sign…in the commotion…. DAMNIT!!!"

Ten minutes later, Neji stood at the gates of Konoha with his mission travel pack on his back as he scanned the forest for any sign of his young cousin. Even though the range of his Byakugan was impressive, Hanabi-sama had a significant lead on him, maybe even a two hour head start. At least he knew exactly where she was headed.

"I'll explain to Hiashi that you're on a mission," Tsunade informed him. "Bring Hanabi back and have her report to me first. I don't know how she even pulled something like this, but she's going to be scrubbing the sewers for months. I needed to find someone for that mission anyway, so it's only fair that she volunteer since she made me do extra paperwork for no reason."

Neji simply bowed politely and refrained from commenting that Hanabi thought she had a valid reason for her actions. It wasn't worth the headache. He already had a long night ahead of him. At least there was a full moon out so he wouldn't have to use the Byakugan too often.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

**Thanks to calindanaruto for the Twister suggestion. **

**Author's Notes:**

**1) I ended the chapter here because I'm going out of town for the next two weeks and didn't want to leave you all with a painful cliffhanger. **

**2) Please leave me lots of reviews to read when I get back! That being said, I may surprise you with another chapter if I'm able to write while I'm away, but no promises. **

**3) To make up for the extended absence, I will be posting a mostly complete story before I go. If you can warp reality a bit (the new story is properly set pre-Shippuuden because Naruto has gone away to train with Jiraiya), please feel free to think of it as the prequel to Company, especially with regards to Hinata's training and relationship with Shino. The story's name is ****Hinata in the Land of Islands****. It would be complete except that I've just remembered I meant to add in a chapter near the end to get in some more Hinata/Shino buildup and happy fluff. **

**Again, reviews are most welcome!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. When you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

Here are the names of Tenten's brothers in order of birth:

Ichida (1), Nida (2), Sanyu (3), Yonda (4), Goku (5), Rokuda (6), Nanaru (7), Hachiru (8), and Kyuuro (9)

Yes, I've named them in numerical order. ; P

Please forgive my little cross-cultural pun. It just amused me so much. For the record, I do know that Tenten's name refers to her marksmanship.

**This chapter is dedicated to Kaotic312, to whom I promised I would not read any more fanfiction until I'd updated this story. It worked!**

OOOOO

Chapter 22

OOOOO

Mika bit her lip and tucked the blankets around Shibiki's sleeping form. He'd passed out in the middle of their "conversation" and was sleeping like a baby. Mika was trying not to think of it as an interrogation. She briefly contemplated leaving a note, but she knew nothing would make him forgive her. Shibiki had told her what she needed to know: the Supaichuu were gone, destroyed by the girl with the weird eyes.

The Supaichuu were very strange, almost unnatural, creatures. One female was born along with hundreds of males. After the Supaichuu pair and their progeny devoured their host from within, the new female Supaichuu fled the decaying host. The males would remain and engage in deadly competition. They would devour one another and the original pair until only one bug remained, the Alpha Male, which would go on to track the female to a new host. Although the Supaichuu preferred hosts filled with bugs, they were not picky and would enter the nearest available candidate if no better one was nearby. Mika and Rika had been sent to recover the new Supaichuu. It should have been a simple matter of finding the most recent sickly Aburame and extracting the new female, but they had not counted on detection. The Supaichuu had not been actively used in a war in many years. It should have been easy.

Father would be furious, but she had to make her report all the same. The hotel cashier eyed her curiously but did not comment as she paid for the room for the next three days with a subdued expression.

OOOOO

Neji pushed off from another tree and sped through the air as he moved from one enormous tree limb to another. Hanabi was fast, and she was at least several hours ahead of him. He had a few more hours until sunset, so he would make the most of his time. The Hyuuga prodigy couldn't quite quell his sigh of frustration, however, at the thought of having to chase after his bratty cousin after an already draining day. She was far too brash, just like Naruto.

OOOOO

Tenten nervously tapped her foot and looked around the clearing. She'd gone through her usual training exercises, but there'd been no sign of her handsome boy all day. She'd been expecting to see him and talk to him before the dinner with her family, and it wasn't like Neji to be late or forgetful.

The sun was kissing the horizon goodbye when she finally trudged home with a heavy heart. How would she explain this to her parents? Well, in theory her mother had only prepared enough extra food for one more mouth, but still…. Tenten felt hurt that Neji obviously had something better to do today than train with her…even though he'd kissed her goodnight with that sexy smile of his and said he'd see her the next day…

"Hey, sis!" Nanaru exclaimed as he jumped down the last few steps of the staircase and tackled her in a bear hug.

"Hi, Nanaru-niichan," Tenten returned miserably.

Tenten's seventh oldest brother pressed his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes with worry. "Imooto-chan (Little Sis)? What's the matter?" he asked as he rubbed his forehead against hers. Nanaru was the most physically affectionate of her brothers. In public he came across as a normal young man of twenty-two years of age, but most of the time when at home he acted like a little puppy.

When they were little he used to give her piggy back rides all the time and they would dance around the house together. Yonda taught her to read and to write her elaborate scrolls elegantly, but Nanaru taught her to hit her brothers, Goku and Rokuda, in the back of the head with a spoonful of peas and never miss. He was always the first one to sneak her a piece of candy when she was sick and usually the first one to notice if something was amiss, like now.

"Nothing," Tenten shook her head.

Nanaru frowned. "It doesn't look like nothing to me. Come on, Tenten-chan, you can tell your oniichan. I'll go beat up whoever's bothering you."

"It's nothing like that," she sighed. "I just…misunderstood something." That must have been it. Maybe Neji had said he'd see her _later_, not necessarily the next day. Memory clashed with hope, but Tenten ruthlessly squashed the former. She must have been mistaken.

"So where is this lover boy of yours?" drawled a smug voice from the stairwell. Tenten studiously avoided looking up as she ducked into the kitchen.

"What?" Nanaru demanded of his brother, Rokuda, as the latter sauntered down the stairs.

"Tenten's got a boyfriend, now. Didn't you know?" Rokuda leered. Usually Nanaru was the first to hear news about Tenten, so Rokuda couldn't help rubbing in the fact that he knew something important before his little brother. "He's coming for dinner."

Nanaru's eyes widened in shock before he dashed after his one and only sister.

"Tenten-chan! Why didn't you tell me you've got a boyfriend?" Nanaru whined piteously.

"Because you would have threatened to beat him up?" Tenten shrugged.

"Well, that's true, but you still should have told your oniichan," Nanaru huffed.

"You were going to meet him tonight, anyway. Now you'll just meet him later."

"Neji isn't coming?" her mother wondered.

"I'm sorry, Mom," Tenten sighed guiltily. "I messed up. Is it okay if we reschedule?"

"Of course, sweetie, though I don't know how you could have 'messed up.'"

"Your boyfriend isn't coming?" Rokuda asked. "Isn't it rather rude of him to stand you up on your first date?"

"It's not our first date," Tenten hedged. "And _I_ messed up, so he isn't really standing me up."

"Who stood whom up?" Yonda inquired as he slid into the kitchen, his ANBU mask hanging from his belt.

"No one," Tenten groaned. "I thought I was going to train with Neji today, but he didn't show up, so I didn't get a chance to invite him for dinner."

"He stood you up for training?" Yonda frowned. "I don't think I like this guy."

"No! It's not a big deal. I'm sure something important must have come up," Tenten defended loyally.

"Well, why don't we start dinner, then, since everyone's here?" their mother intervened diplomatically.

The two eldest brothers were away on missions, but everyone else was home_. It would have been a good night for Neji to meet them_, Tenten thought to herself.

Goku was late, but he was always late. He spent a lot of time chatting with people around the village and was known as the rumor monger of the family. The rest of the family knew not to wait for him. Tenten's brothers ate quietly, each of them sneaking cautious glances at the youngest of the lot. Their normally cheerful little sister was strangely silent, not depressed but not happy.

Goku finally slid into his seat twenty minutes later. He studied Tenten for a full minute before quietly saying, "Hey, little sis."

"Hey, Goku-niisan."

"About…well, about this boyfriend of yours…. How much do you know about him?"

Tenten raised a brow at the tentative, serious note in Goku's voice. Normally he was quite loud and talkative. "He's my teammate and a good friend," she shrugged, "I know him pretty well, maybe as well as anyone does."

"Hm," Goku offered noncommittally.

"What?" Tenten asked suspiciously.

"Well," Goku began then stalled. He seemed to make up his mind before leaning conspiratorially forward. "I've heard some things about him today. Where is he anyway?" Her brother looked around as if expecting the Hyuuga to pop out of thin air.

"There was a misunderstanding, so he's not coming," Tenten explained for what felt like the twentieth time.

Goku fell silent, but he sent meaningful glances at each and every brother over Tenten's unhappy head.

After dinner, Tenten quietly excused herself and went upstairs to take a bath. Her brothers gathered in the family room for a conference.

"Where does he live, and how are we going to kill him?" Nanaru demanded.

"Who do we get to kill?" Hachiru asked with an eager gleam in his eyes.

"Weren't you paying attention at all?" Kyuuro wondered. "The guy that hurt Tenten!"

"You haven't even heard my information yet," Goku pointed out. "This Neji was seen groping a fourteen-year-old genin in an alleyway this morning."

Nanaru growled angrily, and Hachiru eagerly smacked his fist into his open palm.

"I also heard some news," Sanyu added quietly. At this, every brother turned in shock, for Sanyu was the quietest of them all.

"Early this morning he was seen exchanging a love note with…"

"Who?" they all demanded.

"With…that blue-haired ANBU captain that Yonda's been in love with for years," he finished.

"No, that's impossible," Yonda denied.

Goku made a derisive noise. "Don't even try to deny it. You've got it _bad_, and you don't even have the balls to ask the woman out. You've been hopelessly into her ever since you first joined ANBU."

"That's…! I _meant_ that there's _no_ way Yugao-san would ever be involved with a lowlife like that. She doesn't date because she's still hurting from the loss of her lover. She'd never stoop so low as to, as to…with an ugly, disrespectful–"

"That Hyuuga's not bad-looking," Kyuuro pointed out – unhelpfully, in Yonda's opinion. He was only a year older than Tenten and so remembered her teammates from school, even though they'd never had classes together. "A lot of girls are into him. He's actually got quite a fan club. There were pretty girls even in my year that used to follow him around and refuse to date any other guys because they wanted him to notice them."

"Wow. That's sad," Rokuda laughed. "They actually told you that so they wouldn't have to date _you_?"

Kyuuro glared at his older brother. "I'm just saying it's not impossible that an older woman might be attracted to him."

Hachiru chuckled menacingly, "This means I get to cream that little weakling, doesn't it?"

Nonplussed, Kyuuro raised a skeptical eyebrow. "The Hyuuga, who is the same age as Tenten, made jonin a while back. You, Hachiru, barely scraped chuunin," Kyuuro reminded.

"Shut up, twerp," Hachiru growled, reaching out to smack the younger man.

Sanyu calmly intercepted his arm. "Mother doesn't like fighting in the house," he reminded softly.

Hachiru reigned in his temper. Sanyu had that effect on people. He was just so damn calm sometimes that you couldn't help but copy him, but Hachiru continued to grumble silently.

"He's leading her on, cheating on her, _and_ he stood her up," Goku outlined.

After several minutes of brooding silence, a voice finally said, "We've got some Hyuuga ass to kick." It didn't matter who'd said it because they were all thinking the same thing.

OOOOO

Mika crept hesitantly into the clearing where her clan was encamped. As she should have expected, Mika had returned to her sister's room to find it empty. At least Rika hadn't barged in during her time with Shibiki and ruined her reconnaissance. Still, Mika was a bit upset to find that the younger girl had left despite her promise.

The dozen or so men, her so-called family, sitting around small campfires didn't even look at her as she passed. She walked quickly to the main tent and coughed to signal her presence to her father.

After several minutes, a gruff voice called, "Enter."

Mika entered the tent and stood silently until her father gave her permission to report. He and his brother were having a Clan Head meeting. Half an hour later, he finally looked her way.

"Report."

Although her voice trembled a bit, Mika stood straight. "The Supaichuu were detected and destroyed before the infection could fully take root. There were no survivors."

"Impossible. You failed to recover the Alpha Male Supaichuu. How dare you lie to your Clan Head!" her father hissed. He rounded on her with a vicious backhand slap across the face, and Mika stumbled helplessly against the tent wall.

OOOOO

"Let's play Kabuki!" Karimi suggested.

"You want to put on a play?" Hinata asked cautiously. She didn't like being on stage.

"No, no. Kabuki is played in the dark in an empty room—that way nobody gets hurt. A person is chosen to start as It. They have to catch someone in the dark. If they can guess the identity of the person they catch, then that person becomes It."

"Karimi, since you suggested it, why don't you be It first?" her husband suggested.

"Shouldn't you move the furniture aside first?" Iiko-baasan pointed out benevolently. "And shouldn't you evacuate us old people?"

Her grandsons chuckled. "Iiko-baasan," Sori smiled, "you always beat us whenever you play because you know everyone, even with your eyes closed.

Iiko-baasan chuckled and patted her belly. "Normally, I would, but I'm quite full of Hinata-chan's delicious cooking, so I think I'll sit this one out." Several more relatives quit the room in pursuit of calmer pastimes. Shino's own parents slipped from the room, as well, most likely for a little cuddle time.

"Hinata, no cheating with the Byakugan," Shino intoned seriously from where he'd suddenly appeared behind her.

Hinata gasped and whirled around with adorable indignation as she cried, "I wouldn't cheat!"

Then she took in Shino's little smirk and narrowed her eyes in suspicion. If it were possible, Hinata would have said there was a twinkle in Shino's…sunglasses.

"What?"

"I said nothing more," Shino returned.

"What?" she insisted.

"Hmm?" Shino asked politely, and with a little too much innocence.

Hinata looked back at him and then quickly faced away before asking quietly, "Shino-kun, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" he asked solicitously.

"Like…I don't know," Hinata shrugged. She chanced a peek back at him. "Like you know something, or you're going to do something." Ever since the game of Twister, he'd been looking at her a little differently, almost hungrily. It was a little thrilling, but it also made her very nervous.

"Hm."

"Shino, what–" Hinata broke off as the hubbub grew. She turned to watch as Shino's cousins appeared to be haggling over numbers in the corner. Mystified, Hinata turned her face up to Shino's only to find him gazing intently at her.

"Stop it," Hinata whispered nervously with a quick glance to see that nobody was watching them. The ladies were watching their husbands bargaining in the corner, Tachoro was writing down information on a pad of paper, and the little ones had already trooped off to bed. Kaoru had offered to watch the babies, and her husband had volunteered to help.

"Stop what?" he purred quietly.

"Y-You look like you want to _eat_ me or something."

"Mmm…" he hummed from right behind her ear.

A frisson of electricity shot down Hinata's spine as Shino's warm breath caressed the spot just behind her ear. She trembled for a moment before jumping away and scampering to a safe spot near Karika. _What's the matter with Shino-kun? It's like he's _possessed

Shino kept from stalking after her by turning to listen passively as his uncles made their wagers. Every year they bet to see which Aburame could find his own wife the fastest.

Shino sighed. He wasn't quite sure what was happening to him, but he had his suspicions. Having never dated anyone before, he had no basis for comparison, but he seemed to be more aware of Hinata than ever before. Like a moth navigating by the glow of the moon, he found himself drawn to her, pulled closer by her presence and her scent. If he entered a room, he automatically found himself walking toward her, even if he hadn't meant to. Her beautiful, pale eyes had always reminded him of the moon's soft glow. Perhaps one day he would write a poem for her.

"Shino? How about it?" Sori asked with a wink, wondering if he wanted to get in on the wagers.

Shino merely shook his head. He knew exactly where Hinata was, and he suspected that from then on he always would. Catching her when she was trying to avoid him was an entirely different matter.

OOOOO

Neji sighed. Still no sign of his errant cousin. The resort was a day's journey from Konoha, but at a shinobi's pursuit pace, it could easily be done in five hours, less if the shinobi was willing to sprint for it. Even though Hanabi had a head start on him, he didn't think she'd have made it to the resort area already.

By now it was fully dark outside and the moon was high in the sky. He slowed to a halt and concentrated his Byakugan. _She had to have made camp by now, _he thought to himself. Hanabi was good, but she was still young and couldn't possible keep up Neji's pace in the dark. He _would_ find her. He set off once more and continued at his punishing pace.

OOOOO

Tachoro groped blindly in the dark, trying his best to listen to each soft footstep or quiet rustle of material. He lunged forward and caught at some material with his left hand. _Who could it be? _He patted the person gently. A tall frame and a strong chest.

"Tachoro, you are very lucky I happen to be a guy, or you would be in big trouble, mister," drawled the voice of one of the three brothers.

"Oh. Heh. Sorry. Um…Sora?"

"Shouldn't have said anything, brother," chuckled a voice from the corner.

"Yup. Okay, Tachoro, switch with me."

Even though Karimi dodged behind her sisters and flat out ran across the room at one point, Sora had his wife in his arms in under two minutes. Hinata hid a giggle behind her palm as Tachoro dutifully recorded the score on his pad.

Each time one of the Aburame men found his wife, he always said with a self-satisfied grin, "See? An Aburame can track his woman _anywhere_." Hinata noted that it seemed to be a sort of ritual. It was pretty funny because it seemed more like what she would have expected from a clan like the Inuzukas instead of the straight-laced Aburames.

_This game is pretty easy_, Hinata thought to herself. No one seemed particularly out to get her, though she was fairly good at getting out of the way. Suddenly Karika seemed to stumble in front of her. Hinata was closest and dashed to catch her. Even though she'd been closest, Sori was also there immediately.

"Oops!"

Hinata was about to let go when Karika suddenly clasped her arm and shouted, "Hinata!"

Hinata gasped. "You tricked me!"

"It comes from being the wife of a shinobi," Karika preened as she handed over the blindfold.

"No Byakugan," Shino suddenly whispered once more into her ear, the teasing smile evident in his voice.

_Why does he sound so smug?!_ Hinata bristled. _Just because my family's fighting tradition relies heavily on sight doesn't mean I'll be completely inept with a blindfold on_. Shino had been making little insinuations to her throughout the whole game, and it was finally starting to get to her.

"I can track you even with my eyes closed!" Hinata retorted indignantly. "And _without_ cheating!"

"Hmm," Shino hummed noncommittally.

"You don't think I can do it!" _What is Shino doing? He's _never_ acted like this before. He's…He's…He's _baiting_ me! _Hinata's feathers were visibly ruffled by Shino's out-of-character teasing.

Shino, on the other hand, was quite happy with himself. He loved her exactly as she was, but he'd just managed to discover another side to his Hinata. Before this trip, he never would have conceived such a notion, but Hinata was incredibly hot when she was just a little worked up. Her chest heaved slightly as she took deeper breaths, and her pale eyes flashed even in the dim lighting. It was a heady thought, but Shino realized he _wanted_ her to chase him—and only him.

As Hinata was tying the blindfold over her eyes, Shino stepped behind her and blew on her neck. With an almighty squeak, Hinata jumped about three feet into the air.

Off to the side, Karimi raised an amused eyebrow. "Who'd have thought that _Shino_ would be worse than all three of you combined?"

"Maybe we should sneak out?" her husband suggested in a hopeful whisper.

"And miss the show? No way!" she laughed.

Hinata took in several deep calming breaths. Her senses were honed to the point where she could "read" the number of people in the room and their relative positions. Actually, some of the games that she and Shino played were geared to developing their chakra sensing skills. In such a situation as this, the shinobi stood out clearly. There were four strong chakra signatures, and four other people in the room, so Shino's was one of the chakra…wait, no…. Hadn't there been five shinobi and three civilians playing?

With a gasp, Hinata realized that Shino was expertly masking his chakra signature. Still, if she got close enough, she'd be able to hear his kikaichuu. Barring that, she knew his scent. She headed straight for the person to her left.

A feminine shriek told her to switch directions and choose another target. She darted with sure steps and everyone scattered as soon as she drew closer. To Hinata, the world narrowed to a series of "glowing" spots. The chakra of Tachoro and the three brothers stood out clearly. While the civilians and Shino did not stand out as clearly, they were still easy to pinpoint. Also, the civilians, unlike Shino, were not particularly good at masking their movements. Hinata formed a plan. She would move quickly and almost randomly at the four possible targets. If she could hear them moving out of the way, then she would know the civilians from Shino.

Hinata suddenly sprinted across the room and barely missed an arm. In reality, she had avoided the girl on purpose. This continued for several minutes. Hinata was pretty sure she had an accurate mental map of who was who by this point. _This chase is actually exciting,_ she thought to herself as the thrill of being the hunter washed over her.

She slowed to a stop and rotated slowly until she was facing the person she thought was Shino. Unconsciously, she moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. Shino, who had taken off his sunglasses to watch her face better during the chase in the dark room, inhaled sharply and felt his heartbeat thump a rapid staccato in his chest.

When the figure's chakra spiked for a moment, Hinata knew she'd found her man. She grinned slyly and dashed toward him. Shino barely jumped aside and did some quick maneuvering to get away.

_I was so close!_ A little frustrated frown appeared on Hinata's face. It wasn't enough to know where Shino was. He had the upper hand when it came to dodging her. The only way to catch him would be to take him by surprise. She turned abruptly, hands outstretched to feel her way along the wall. Hinata made her way to the door and paused as she made sure she'd actually found it.

Shino started. Was she angry? Had he pushed her too far? He didn't want her to leave or give up. It wasn't like her. His chest clenched with remorse, and he moved to follow her. He would apologize for being a jerk and coax her back into the game.

Suddenly, Hinata rushed up the wall, across the ceiling, and flipped down gracefully behind him. He whipped around, and she tackled the surprised Shino to the ground.

"Got you, Shino-kun!" she cried happily as she whipped off the blindfold.

"Yes, you did," he smiled with amusement, even though he'd face planted into the tatami mat floor. He rubbed his cheek a little and turned onto his back.

The lights went on, and Shino quickly put his sunglasses back on. Hinata's proud grin stretched from ear to ear, and her eyes seemed to sparkle down at him. It changed into a worried frown when she noticed the red mark on his right cheek.

"Oh, Shino-kun, I'm so sorry! I hurt you," she exclaimed apologetically.

"It's nothing," Shino shrugged. It had been worth seeing her face lit up with victorious excitement. Then he grinned and whispered quietly into her ear.

Hinata flushed from her collar to the roots of her dark hair and promptly passed out.

**Author's Notes:**

**There was a lot of Hinata/Shino fluff in this chapter. **

**Hopefully, you all didn't mind too much. **

**Reviews Creative Energy! I appreciate them so much!**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Naruto**_**. When you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing. **

OOOOO

Company Chapter 23

OOOOO

There. To the left, not far from a stream. A little tent with a single occupant. Neji sighed with relief when he recognized Hanabi's slender form wrapped up in her sleeping bag. Had he ever sighed this much in his life? Even with Maito Guy as a sensei and Rock Lee as a teammate? He leapt down lightly and entered the peaceful clearing.

Neji carefully pushed aside the tent flap and peered in at his cousin's sleeping form. No watch, no precautions. An eleven year old girl all alone in the woods. He would have to berate her for being so careless.

He was tempted to shake her awake and scold her right now, but he didn't have the heart, or the energy. Hanabi looked so innocent in her sleep, and because of that, it was when she most resembled her sister. With another quiet sigh, Neji unrolled his own sleeping mat and lay down in the spot next to her. When he turned on his side to get more comfortable, he realized she was blinking in his direction.

Instead of jumping up in surprise, as Neji would have expected her to, the youngest Hyuuga merely smiled sleepily at him and said, "Took you a while," before falling back to sleep. For several moments, dozens of questions whizzed through his head, but then he decided to let them all go and get some rest. To deal with Hanabi in the morning, we would probably need it.

OOOOO

Rika hurried into camp, her box carefully tucked under one arm, and sneered at her cousins on the way to the Inago Clan Head tent. They ignored her. It seemed there were less of them than normal. Then she realized why. There were a number of people gathered in front of the Clan Head's tent. When she caught sight of her sister lying in a broken heap on the ground, her blood froze.

"Mika," she mouthed. Then louder. "Mika!" She shouldered past numerous Inago men and dropped to her sister's side. "Neesan, who did this to you?" she sobbed. "Those Aburame _bastards_! I'll kill them. I'll kill them all!"

"Rika," a harsh voice stated from the tent opening.

"Father! Mika needs medical aid immedi–"

"Rika," her father's voice cut across the clearing. "Stop your hysterical babbling and tell me where the Supaichuu are."

"But, Father, Mika–"

"Unless you want the same punishment as your sister, you will report the whereabouts of the Supaichuu immediately!"

"Same punishment…?" Rika stared at her sister's wounds in horror. Not the Aburames? Her own _family_ had done this? "_Wh-Why_?"

"Rika, they were found," Mika whispered, her voice hoarse with pain. "That girl. She killed them both. They're gone."

"No! They can't be!"

"They're gone," Mika insisted with a small sob.

"Stop lying!" Their father raised his hand to strike Mika once more, but Rika leapt in the way, snarling like an angry cat.

OOOOO

"Shino-kun," Hinata whispered against his lips as they snuggled secretly. "Won't Shibiki be back soon?"

"He's probably met someone in the village," Shino reasoned logically, punctuating each word with a kiss.

"But wouldn't he still come home?" Hinata wondered in confusion.

"He might be…with someone."

"So late at night?" Hinata continued.

"If they are…together."

Hinata stared at him curiously. Shino looked at her with obviously affectionate amusement until realization dawned on Hinata's face along with a ferocious blush.

"O-OH!" Hinata once more buried her face in her pillow.

Shino chuckled gently and trailed his fingertips lightly over her back.

"I love you, Hinata."

Hinata peeked up at his smiling face and pulled off his sunglasses to cover him with her own kisses. They cuddled close and wrapped their arms around one another, each enjoying the other's warmth as they drifted toward slumber.

"A-are you sure I shouldn't check on him? What if something bad happened to him?" Hinata frowned and looked toward the screen. "Remember how Tachoro-kun was upset that no one went to look for him."

Shino thought quietly for several minutes. His brother sometimes went out and didn't come home until the next morning. It didn't happen often, but it happened occasionally. Hinata, however, had no experience with much older brothers.

"I think he's fine, but if you feel we should check on him, I will leave that decision up to you."

Hinata sat up and activated her Byakugan.

OOOOO

To Inago Gurodo, pride was everything. He would sooner sacrifice his own clan members than admit defeat. The head of the Inago Clan finally turned back to the men waiting in rows behind him. If he was upset or unnerved by the scene that had just occurred, he didn't show it, though the faces of the rest of the men displayed their unease.

"Without the Supaichuu, we will have to act quickly and decisively. A full scale assault. We descend two hours before daybreak. That is when they will be the most vulnerable. Be prepared."

"Sir, will we have a clean up crew for any that might escape the nets?" asked one of Gurodo's many nephews.

"None will escape," Gurodo stated with finality.

"Besides, Kiraku's traps will get any that manage to crawl all the way back to Konoha," laughed another.

Gurodo faced the errant speaker with a cold glare. "_None_ will escape."

OOOOO

"I've found him," Hinata sighed. "He's asleep."

Shino paused his gentle massaging of her shoulders and raised an eyebrow high.

"Perhaps we shouldn't intrude on their privacy?" he suggested.

"He's alone."

"Alone?" Shino frowned.

"Completely alone."

"Perhaps his date left early," Shino shrugged.

"It looks like he's in a hotel room, not a room in a family home. There's just a bed and nothing else, no knick knacks or books or anything. Why do you suppose he hasn't come home yet?" Hinata worried.

"Perhaps he is…sleeping it off," Shino offered vaguely.

"There's something strange about his chakra signature, too."

At that, Shino frowned. "What do you mean?"

"It's a slightly strange color."

Shino drew in a sharp breath. "You don't think he's been poisoned, do you?"

"I don't know."

"Come. We must find my father at once and then go and help Shibiki."

OOOOO

It took both Shino and Tachoro's strength to carry Shibiki's unconscious form back to the resort. Hinata had already taken a blood sample and hurried back to see what she could throw together. At this time, most of the Aburames were asleep. Shibi and Shiribi, however, stood guard, alert to any possible attack.

OOOOO

Neji awoke to the feel of someone's slender hands shaking his frame. He absently slapped the hands away. Then someone was poking and tapping his cheeks and forehead protector. He smacked the hands away more forcefully. A swift kick to the shin jolted him upright.

"Whuzzarit?" he mumbled incoherently. The moon was still distinct in the sky.

"Wake up, Neji-niisan! We've got to get going already."

"What are you talking about? Go back to your own bedroom, Hanabi-sama," Neji muttered before rolling over to face away from her.

Hanabi looked down at him skeptically. "Are you always like this on missions? I know it's still early, but you're a shinobi, a _jonin_ shinobi, too."

Neji's even breathing informed his young cousin that he was already fast asleep.

OOOOO

Shibiki blinked his bleary eyes at the candlelight floating across his vision. The kikaichuu could break down most toxins with ease—and they had worked on the one in his system with speed and determination—but he still thought he might be better off unconscious.

Hinata's kind eyes gazed worriedly down at him, and she gently stroked his hair as she changed the compress on his forehead.

"Shibiki?" she whispered. "Are you alright? What happened?"

Shino's elder brother merely closed his eyes with a grimace. Several minutes later he sighed with defeat.

"Hinata, please go and get my father. I have some important things to tell him."

OOOOO

Neji pulled the covers tighter about himself. He found himself drifting into an exquisite land peopled entirely by Tentens. The lovely nymphs clad in soft flowing gowns danced enticingly out of his reach. Then they twirled and leaped, moving in intricate steps around him. One jumped high to execute that spin he so loved to watch during their training sessions together.

"Neji-kun," cooed one that sounded surprisingly close by. "Wake up, sweet Neji-kun."

Neji blinked. Neji-kun? Tenten never called him Neji-kun.

Then he looked over and got an eyeful of his teammate's lithe feminine body clad only in tiny wisps of silk and lace. Pink silk and lace.

"I have something very important to tell you," Tenten whispered seductively.

"Hmm…?"

Tenten's perfect face was right in front of him. He smiled sleepily and reached for her just as she leaned down to his ear.

"WAKE UP!" Tenten screamed at the top of her lungs.

Neji went from lazily prone to frigid and standing in a split second. He gaped in wide-eyed horror as sexy Tenten poofed out of existence, leaving a disgruntled Hanabi in her wake.

"About time! I've been trying to wake you up for hours!"

"NEVER DO THAT AGAIN!!!"

**Author's Notes:**

**1) It's a short chapter, I know. I'm having trouble deciding who Shibiki is going to end up with, so please take my poll and let me know what you think. It will actually affect the rest of the story.**

**2) As always, reviews make me so very happy!**


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